Glitch
by Silque
Summary: Bella Swan is a very modern 22nd century girl - with no time to waste on any man who can't stay faithful. But what happens when her friends buy her a brand new Real Man Edward Model 2115, and she learns more about lust - and true love - than she never knew to dream of… all from the most romantic, sexy, snarky and devoted mandroid ever?
1. Welcome Home!

**A/N: Welcome to my new story! I know several of you have been waiting for it, and some of you are dreading it. Give it a shot, please? I promise that I ONLY do happy endings. It's not too terribly sci-fi-y, but I do have a tendency to let my nerd flag fly, so forgive me for that in advance. I promise not to get too technical. It is a romance story, first and foremost.**

 **It will be more... adulty than Concerto. That means lemony goodness for you!**

 **My Edward already has a nickname, thanks to BelleBiter: Roboward.**

 **This will be entirely in Bella's POV.**

 **I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

June 20th, 2115

Forks, Washington

Men suck.

And not in the hot, vampire-sexy way. No, they suck in the cheating, no-good, lying way.

And Jacob Black was the king of them all.

We had dated since high school, so I had every reason to trust him. We were friends before that, and friends don't do to each other what Jake did to me.

He could have just ended it with me, said that it wasn't working out, that we could still be friends, instead of what he allowed to play out. I'd be willing to bet that he regretted giving me a key to his house.

And I hope the marinara sauce stained his carpet. Forever.

Jake had called me one morning last month, voice gravelly and rough, to tell me how sick he was, and that he couldn't make it over for lunch, as planned. So, feeling sorry for him, and being the good girlfriend that I thought I was, I went ahead and made up the lasagna for him. I didn't use the AutoChef, either; I made that beauty the old fashioned way, with actual pans on the stove. As soon as it was cool enough to carry, I wrapped it up and headed over to his house on the res.

See, Jake is a Quileute, and he lives in La Push, the local Native American reservation. He lives with his dad, Billy, who is my dad's best friend. The two of them are thick as thieves, even more so since Jake and I "declared" ourselves during junior year. We had spent the last year talking about college, and we both decided on U-Dub. Our dads spent it talking about grand kids. Ha! They had a while to wait. Jake and I hadn't even...

Oh, we came close, and we did everything _but_. I just wasn't ready to pull the trigger. I mean, I loved him and all, but... I'm quite sure that was his excuse for screwing around; he wasn't getting it from me.

Jerk.

Now I was glad I waited, because when I walked into Jake's bedroom and saw that he didn't appear sick, and he wasn't alone in bed, I went numb. The lasagna slipped out of my hands and sauce and cheese and noodles flew everywhere when the pan hit the floor.

My loving boyfriend was in bed with my friend Leah.

I got out of there fast, both of them scrambling for clothes and shouting my name after me. Screw that! I didn't want to hear explanations or excuses. There could be no excuse.

But that was a month ago, and I had managed to avoid his calls and visits. After the first time he showed up with an armload of flowers, and met a furious Charlie at the door, he tried to show up when he knew I would be alone. Luckily, Charlie had installed a vid-screen at the door, so I didn't even have to open it. Thank god for over-protective fathers.

Jake did try to call me once from a number I didn't recognize, trying to trick me into talking to him, but the second I heard his voice I hung up.

The really upsetting part was... I didn't feel like my heart was broken. Not like _that_ , anyway. I loved Jake, don't get me wrong. I just don't think I was ever... _in_ love with him. It was more a feeling of betrayal. Oh, yeah, and humiliation. I wondered how many of the people on the res that I thought were my friends knew, and were laughing behind my back.

Fuck them all. It would be a cold day in hell before I set foot in La Push again.

I thought about Nicky Brooks, the guy I had a crush on in high school. Tall, gorgeous green eyes and messy bronze hair... but a total hoodlum. I admired him from afar, watching him charm the girls, but I avoided a sure case of heartbreak by staying away from him. He spent all of his time behind the school, smoking and most likely plotting his next heist. Charlie was the Chief of Police here in Forks, and had nothing good to say about him, so it was just as well that he scared me to death. Charlie was extremely happy the day he moved away with his family.

Then in high school, when Jake had admitted that he liked me as more than a friend, I saw him as the "safe" option. Jake would never break my heart. Jake would never hurt me.

Ha.

So, for the past month, I have been playing hermit, hiding from Jake, and fighting off Alice and Rosalie's attempts to "fix me up".

No thanks!

Being a hermit was no problem for me. In high school, I had written a novel, just for my friends and my own enjoyment. I had actually modeled the hero after Nicky. It was pure, romantic, girl-meets-vampire drivel, and I never expected it to go out into the world, but Alice had gone behind my back and sent it to a literary agent that was an acquaintance of her family, J. Jenks. Astonishingly, it hit the best seller list, and I had a happy little nest egg that paid for college and my new independence. No worries about scholarships or student loans, and no burden on Charlie, which is the way I like things. My agent, Mr. Jenks had structured my contract to allow me to get through college before my next novel was due, but I anticipated lots of free time to fool with it, as I didn't need a job for extra cash. It was a sequel to my first novel, and I already had it outlined. I expected to breeze through it.

But the sum of all that was, I was going out on my own!

Today was the day I was moving to my apartment in Seattle, my first taste of independence! I had the whole summer to get settled before I started with the fall semester, majoring in literature with a minor in creative writing. I was all packed, the new apartment was clean and ready for me, and I was just waiting for my girls to come help me load up my old pickup. Not that I had much. Just two boxes of clothes, and a lot of books. The old, paper kind. They were hard to find these days, so I clung to the ones I owned with a passion. There is just nothing like the smell of them, feeling the pages as you turn them. You can't get that from an e-reader.

Any way, yes, I would miss Charlie, my good, old dad. But I can't say I would miss having to take care of anyone but myself. Don't get me wrong, I loved cooking for Charlie, and I didn't mind cleaning up after him, and doing his laundry, but I was really looking forward to having no one rely on me. His anger at Jake didn't harm his friendship with Billy, I'm happy to say. He would need his friend after I left. I didn't plan on coming back to Forks very often.

It had been just me and my dad after my mom walked out. I was only six when she decided she had to "find herself" and took off. She sent post cards, but in the twelve years since she left, she had not visited once, nor offered for me to visit her. Yeah, it hurt, but I got used to it. It's not like she was a real mom before she left. As soon as I was able, I had taken over the cleaning, and thank goodness for the AutoChef, or we would have starved or survived off of take out and TV dinners until I taught myself to cook.

I sank down on the end of the sofa, closest to Charlie's recliner, "Hey Dad."

"Hey Bells." He kept his eyes on the screen. I'm pretty sure the sports news on ESPN wasn't that enthralling.

"I'm going to miss you," I said softly.

"Me too." Still not looking at me.

"Dad, you can come up and see me any time you-"

"It's not the same. I understand you want to get away from that asshole, but you could have stayed the summer. You know I wouldn't let him near you," he said gruffly.

"Aw, Dad."

He finally looked at me, and his eyes were a bit red. I felt terrible, but wasn't it my turn? Didn't I have the right to grow up and spread my wings? As if he read my mind, he said, "I know you're grown now. I'm just... it's always been you and me, kid. It's just not going to be the same."

"No," I agreed, "it won't be the same. But this could be just as good. The times we do see each other will be quality time. And I've set up the computer so we can vid-chat any time you want."

"Yeah." He turned back to the television.

Poor Charlie. But Billy would keep him out on the lake, fishing, and Sue Clearwater promised him that she'd bring him meals on a regular basis. He would be okay.

Besides, I think Sue was sweet on him, and with me out of the way, who knows...?

A flurry of knocks at the door signaled the arrival of my girls. I checked out the vid-screen, just to be sure, and there they were; Rosalie and Alice, my best friends in the whole world.

I let them in, and they immediately flew to kiss and fuss over Charlie. I think he would miss them as much as me. He called the three of us "his girls", and they loved him to bits. He always pretended to hate the attention, but I could see the way his mustache twitched when he was pushing them off, fighting a smile.

There was no twitch today. Poor Charlie.

Yeah, I was sad for him, but not sad enough to put off my move. I was so ready to leave Forks and Jake and all of the humiliation behind.

Charlie helped load my boxes, and soon it was time to go. I turned to my dad, giving him a tight hug, "I'll call you when we get there."

"Don't forget-"

"Yes, I'll keep my doors locked. Yes, I have the pepper spray. Yes, I'll call you if I need you," I grinned up into his worried eyes. He pressed a kiss to my forehead and reluctantly let me go.

Alice rode with me in my truck, while Rosalie followed in her red convertible. I set the AutoDrive to my new address so I could turn my attention to Alice, who always, _always_ has a lot to say. I knew she had something brewing in her head, because she hated my truck with a passion. Given a choice, she would always ride in Rose's shiny new car. The computer took over, as I said, "All right, Alice. Spill."

She bounced in her seat. "I can't tell you!" she sang.

"Alice, you can't do that to me. You know how I feel about surprises."

"Rose would _kill_ me if I blabbed, honey. This is a surprise from both of us, and I refuse to say another word!" She made a zipping motion over her clamped lips.

Damned Pixie.

"Fine. But how long do I have to wait for this surprise?" I huffed.

She smirked annoyingly, "Just 'til you get home. It's waiting for you there."

The rest of the ride passed uneventfully, with Alice chattering incessantly about stores and restaurants in Seattle, and how she was so excited to explore them all with Rosalie and I, and the boys.

Alice and Rose had boyfriends, which firmly ensconced me in the role of "fifth wheel". Literally. Jasper and Emmett were great guys, and I was sure that marriage was on the horizon for my friends. I dreaded that, but couldn't begrudge my girls their happiness.

The AutoDrive pulled us into the underground garage of my apartment building, and I took over, allowing the computer to "learn" where my personal parking space was. In the future, the car would steer itself into my spot.

Rosalie parked in a guest space, and we all grabbed an arm load and headed for the elevator. Jasper and Emmett would be over later, to bring up the rest. When we got to my door, I pressed my palm against the scanner that had been programmed with my hand-print when I first signed the lease. I had added Alice and Rosalie to the database as well. I hoped that my "surprise" didn't make me regret that!

The door swung open, and I looked warily around for my "surprise". Nothing looked out of the ordinary, so I dumped my load on the dining table and looked at Alice with a raised eyebrow.

Alice giggled and took my hands, leading me to the center of the entry hall. Rose hovered nearby, obviously nervous. A knot formed in my stomach; they both knew how I felt about these things.

Rosalie spoke up as Alice went to the entry closet, placing her hand on the knob, "Okay, we know how you feel about men right now, and we completely don't blame you. I still owe Jake a kick in the nuts, you know. Anyway, we hate that you're living alone here, and we..." she trailed off.

Alice took up the reins, "We got you a companion!" She pulled open the closet door abruptly, and there inside...

Was Nicky Brooks.

He was smiling pleasantly at me.

Nicholas Brooks. Was standing in my closet. Smiling. Like any of this was normal in any way.

I wasn't sure if I should scream, faint, or run away in terror.

"Alice," I said shakily, "Why is Nicky Brooks in my closet?"

Rosalie grinned, "That is not Nicholas Brooks. That, my lovely, is Edward."

"Hello," he said sweetly. His voice was soft and velvety, like a caress.

I looked at my former friend uncomprehendingly.

Alice took my hands again, "We remembered that you had a crush on Nick in high school, so we took his HoloPic to the shop when we ordered Edward. Bella, Edward is a Real Man™. He's an android." She pulled a glossy owner's manual out of her bag and thrust it at me. I didn't take it, too stunned to move, and she threw it on the entry table.

"You bought me a _sex robot_?" I shrieked. My mind flashed to the afternoon we had spent looking at the Real Man™ website on my computer, using the "Build Your Own" feature and giggling, adding and removing options. "That was a joke! Why would you do this?"

I was having trouble breathing.

"Wait," Rose held up her hand. "He's not just for sex. Although if you pass that part up, you're an idiot. He can play chess, cards and video games. He will clean and do your laundry. Think of him as a maid slash companion, with a dick. And a tongue. They're programmed to be perfect lovers," She finished dreamily.

"Rosalie!" I groaned, yanking my hands from Alice's and dropping my head into them.

"What?" She was trying for nonchalance, but only succeed in looking smug.

I couldn't take any more. I looked up once again, and there stood Edward, gorgeous, looking just like Nick. Green eyes, messy bronze hair, tall...

I slammed the closet door. "You need to take him back. Now."

Alice led me into the living room, "Bella, Bella, Bella. Don't be hasty. Let him stay for a trial period, at least. Give him six months-"

"Six months?" I shouted.

"Fine, three months. If you haven't warmed up to him by then, we'll put him on Craigslist."

"Warmed up..." I think I was in shock, just a bit. There was a sex android in my coat closet, and my best friends in the world had put him there. As a gift. God help me.

My so-called friends sat me down on the sofa, flanking me and each taking a hand. Rosalie smiled like she was addressing a mental patient, "Now, Bella. Just give him a chance. You don't have to use him for sex. But he's quite intelligent, and can converse on any topic. You could use him for a study aid, if nothing else."

Alice piped up, "And we're not taking him back for the full three months. I must say, you're being quite ungracious. He is a _gift_ , after all."

I glared at her, "Not helping, Alice."

The doorbell buzzed, and the vid-screen showed Jasper and Emmett, grinning. I looked at the girls, panicked, "Do the guys know about this?"

"No." Rose shook her head.

"Then leave the closet door closed, and keep your traps shut. I'll keep him for the three months if you don't tell them!" I bargained desperately. I grabbed the manual that Alice had given me and shoved it in the drawer. I could just imagine what Emmett would say... I shuddered at the thought.

Alice looked unsure, but Rosalie immediately took the deal.

The guys schlepped all of my stuff up the elevator, and we spent the rest of the evening unpacking and eating pizza provided by the AutoChef. It wasn't bad at all. I did have to once head off Jasper as he was reaching for the knob of the hall closet with an armload of coats. I don't even remember what I said in my panic, but he desisted. I must have sounded insane.

The evening wound down, and all too soon, everyone was saying goodnight and heading out the door.

And I was left alone in my new home.

With Edward, my sex android.

In my closet.

* * *

 **E/N: Oh my. I have to tell you, this was born of a norty fantasy I have. Can you imagine having a sex android, and have him (or her, for my unicorn! I hope you followed me to this story, Bobbie!) look like anyone you wanted? *dreamy sigh***

 **I imagine a future quite like our today, with added technology. We all imagined 2000 would give us flying cars, but the reality is that it is just like the past... with more technology. Back To The Future ruined us all. LOL**

 **Anywho, the AutoDrive is a feature on cars that is essentially an intelligent auto pilot. It lets you relax and safely travel in your car, hands free!**

 **The AutoChef is a food production unit. You only need to keep it stocked with food items (it's also a refrigerator) and it will prepare your meals. Some folks still like to cook the old fashioned way sometimes, like our Bella.**

 **Vid-screens and cameras on doors are very common items in my future. Safety first! Charlie approves. ;-)**

 **Please review and let me know if I should continue, criticisms, ideas for future stuff that can be added, errors I have made, or just to tell me you can't wait for the hot robot love!**


	2. Documentation

**A/N: Good catch on the door-lock thing, Leibeezer! I fixed it before too many people read it. *whew***

 **Thank you, Grandmachix! I was hoping you'd give it a shot. I lurves you!**

 **Dear guest reviewer, I don't think I know how to do short stories. I do epics and one-shots. LOL Strap in, it's going to be a long (ish?) ride.**

 **BelleBiter suggested the song Sex Machine by James Brown. I sallied with Love Machine by The Miracles. ;-) YouTube them. Both are fun-kay.**

 **Let's see if Bella lets Roboward (or Edroid, thanks a lot, Belle) out of the closet, shall we?**

* * *

 _The evening wound down, and all too soon, everyone was saying goodnight and heading out the door._

 _And I was left alone in my new home._

 _With Edward, my sex android._

 _In my closet._

I stood for a moment, looking at my coat closet like it contained the Bubonic plague. What do I do _now_?

I approached the door slowly, willing myself to raise my hand to the knob, and trying to stop my fingers from trembling.

Ugh. Do it, Swan. It's a machine. An appliance. Like getting out the vacuum cleaner.

Yeah, right.

I finally rested my hand on the knob, and... just couldn't turn it. I sighed and leaned my head against the door, whispering, "I just need some time to wrap my head around this."

"Of course, take all of the time you need," came the melodic reply.

I jumped away from the closet, and then gave a shaky laugh. So it had heard me. Even though I was actually talking to myself...

"Look, just... stay in there. For now. I... I don't know what... Shit. Just stay in there, okay?" I finally squeaked out.

"As you wish." At least it had a really great speaking voice.

I plopped myself on the sofa, wondering what the hell I was supposed to do. If I didn't have the thing out of the closet by the time Alice saw me again, there would be hell to pay, and I'm quite sure she'd push the full six months that she had originally threatened me with. It was bad enough that I would have to look at Nicky Brooks' face for the next three months. Six might kill me.

I walked back into the entry hall and grabbed the owner's manual out of the drawer.

Education. I would read up on it, and then maybe I'd have the courage to actually talk to it. Face to gorgeous face. I groaned and smacked my forehead with the manual. I would never forgive those rat-fink bitches for this.

I slapped the manual down on the coffee table and stalked off to make myself some tea. The AutoChef had a tea setting, but there was just something so comforting about a teakettle whistling on the stove. I filled mine and set it to heat, retrieving a cup and spoon, a teabag and some honey. I would need the comfort, that was for sure.

I waited for the kettle to boil and tapped my fingers on the counter, losing myself in thought. Here I was in my new home, living alone for the first time in my life, and I was faced with my first crisis. Well, not really a crisis, but not something I was comfortable about. A sense of indignation filled me; why should I be intimidated by a bag of bolts? This was _my_ home, my sanctuary. The thing had to do what I told it, right? Why was I letting myself be frightened by a walking calculator? I huffed, just as the kettle boiled. Pouring the hot water and adding the teabag, I resolved to not be afraid of it. I would read the manual, and then interact with it. As Rosalie said, at least it might make a good study aid.

I curled up on my sofa and picked up the manual. It was glossy, and had a stylized drawing on the cover of a handsome man, shirt open to the naval and looking sexy as hell. I rolled my eyes and snorted. As if I would make use of _that_ feature. "Edward" was in huge, semi-transparent script across the picture.

I opened to the first page and began to read.

 _Congratulations on the purchase of your "Edward" model Real Man™!_

Nope. I didn't purchase it, I had it thrust upon me. I huffed and read on. It informed me that I could name my Real Man™ anything I wanted. I should just inform it of it's new name. Yeah... no. "Edward" would do just fine, as I didn't plan on keeping it. It's next owner could name it whatever the hell she wanted. No way in hell was I calling this ambulatory alarm clock "Nick"!

It gave a lot of technical details about how the skeleton was titanium, infused with Argon gas to make it tough and light-weight. The material had become widespread in the manufacture of airplanes. "Edward" weighed about as much as a human man of the same size. It's skin was a proprietary material that gave off it's own heat signature, and felt like real, warm, human skin. This material was fast becoming the industry standard for prosthetics as well. Huh. I was interested in spite of myself.

I discovered that it had a self-contained power unit, and that simply walking would keep him charged. Should it ever lose power due to prolonged inactivity, it could be plugged in via a USB 8.0 (or lower) connection located in a tiny service port at the base of it's skull (USB cable not included). To access the port, I should feel for a tiny indentation at the hairline and press. The port will spring open. Nah, that didn't freak me out at all. I rolled my eyes and continued.

I read about the Three Laws of Robotics that were programmed into every android ever made, by statute:

1\. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2\. A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3\. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.

That was actually pretty comforting.

My android was equipped with wifi, with a direct connection to the National Library computer. Any volume ever written could be accessed wirelessly and instantly. Alice was right, it could be a kick-ass study aid. It also had access to a complete library of movies, so it could converse on any subject intelligently.

When it started going on about it's capability as a lover, I slammed the manual closed. Oh. My. God. I sucked down the rest of my tea and stalked to the kitchen for more. I could skip that part, right? I had no intention of ever using that feature, but as I sat back down, I chided myself for cowardice. It wasn't like the girls were sitting there, judging me. I'd just read it to learn everything I could about it, before I dealt with it in person.

Yeah.

I learned that the thing had hyper-sensitive sensors all over it's body, and was programmed uniquely to actually feel pleasure. I was stunned. I had really just thought of it as a giant vibrator. But this book was telling me that it would feel pleasure at least as great as it's human lover, and that it would actually orgasm when stimulated.

I needed a break, and tea wasn't cutting it.

I pulled a bottle of Pinot from the fridge, a corkscrew and a wine glass. I poured a healthy draft and settled back in the living room, taking up the manual once more. Into the breach!

I read on. It's physiological reactions when having sex are all programmed into it's system to be as natural as possible; when it cries out, moans or pants, it is actually feeling the things that cause those responses.

It was preset to be verbal during intercourse. This was to ensure the optimum satisfaction of it's partner; "Edward" will ask if what it is doing feels good. Simple yes or no responses will increase it's knowledge of it's owner's preferences. This can be adjusted to the owner's preference, merely by saying, "Edward, less verbal" during intercourse, which will move the verbal frequency down one level. There were five levels, five being very verbal, and one being silent. It will naturally become less "chatty" as it gets to know my likes and dislikes. Holy shit.

The semen that the thing produced was colorless, tasteless and odorless, would emerge the correct, human temperature, and could be ingested with complete confidence. I nearly choked to death on my wine. I was done.

I stalked to the entry, yanked open the drawer of the table there, thrust the manual in and slammed it closed. I hesitated briefly, feeling almost guilty for keeping it in the dark, and walked to the coat closet, "Um... Edward?"

"Yes?" it replied instantly.

"I'm going to bed now. You... you just stay in there. Maybe I'll... let you out in the morning." I pressed my hand to the door.

"As you wish," it sounded unperturbed. I still felt guilty.

"Do you need... anything?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine."

"You're not going to go dead-" I choked, "I mean, lose power in there before morning, are you?"

"No. I have enough charge for at least six days at my current level of activity."

"Oh. Well. That's good."

"Goodnight, Isabella."

"Erm... it's just Bella. Goodnight... Edward."

"Goodnight, Bella. Sweet dreams." Did I feel a tiny scratch against the inside of the door? No, surely not.

I didn't respond, mostly because I didn't know what to say to that. I'm sure androids don't sleep, let alone dream. I shook my head and turned out the lights, heading for my room.

And why had I gotten a little shiver when he said my name?

I began to strip off my grubby clothes, when I remembered that I wasn't alone in my apartment. Well, I was, and I knew that Edward would stay in his closet until I told him he could come out, but still... I closed my bedroom door, and then locked it for good measure. Better safe than sorry. I trotted into the en suite bathroom, stepping into the huge shower and turning on the water. It was one of the selling points for this apartment, and it was wonderful. Especially the glassed in shower. Travertine tile, with a removable shower head, body jets and a bench along the end wall. Heaven!

I took my time, shampooing and conditioning, then squirting extravagant amounts of body wash on a poof. As I lathered, my mind drifted, and I could see that two people would fit nicely in this glass and stone cubicle with room to spare. I closed my eyes and pictured it, a man's strong hands lathering my body... then I realized that it was bright green eyes I was seeing in my imagination, and I gasped, the fantasy dispelling immediately. No. No way. After all of this time, I was _not_ still crushing on Nick. After over a year with Jacob. Just seeing his face, even if only a reproduction on an android, made me start daydreaming about him again? It's not like I ever really knew Nicky Brooks. I had admired him from afar, kept my distance. I don't think I ever spoke a single word to the boy, nor him to me. He _had_ starred in most of my sexual fantasies before Jake, though... Well, I had outgrown that crap.

Surely.

I rinsed off quickly and shut off the water. I furiously dried off, and quickly braided my damp hair.

Wait, could I get him wet? Or was he like one of those appliances that could never be submerged?

And why the hell did I care? He was a housekeeper and a study aid. That's all. He would go to his next owner as virginal as me.

And when the hell did I stop thinking of him as an "it"?

I stomped to my bed and yanked back the covers. Shutting off the light, I slipped in between my lovely, Egyptian cotton sheets. Heaven! I should sleep like a baby.

Only I didn't. I tossed. I turned. I shifted. I turned my pillow to the cool side. I attributed my restlessness to the first night in a new place, and _not_ the android standing alone, in my closet. In the dark. Alone. Did robots get lonely? Ugh! I flipped the pillow again, punching it as if it were to blame for my disordered thoughts.

I laid back with a huff, giving in to my brain and giving up hope of sleep. Memories of Nick interspersed with the sight of his android doppelganger in my closet floated around in my head.

Some time during the night, my thoughts bled into a dream as I drifted off. I was back at school, back in Forks. Nick was leaning against the wall, a cigarette dangling from his lips, just as in my memory. His jeans slung low on his lean hips, leather jacket hanging open to reveal a t-shirt with something terrible printed on it. Only this time, he looked at me. Really looked at me with those emerald eyes, dropped his smoke to the ground and gave me that slow, crooked smile I had seen directed at other girls. He pushed off from the wall and walked toward me with that panther-like grace. When he reached my side, one hand wound around my waist, the other went to my shoulder, sliding to my neck, slipping into my hair and cupping the back of my skull.

My dream self said, "Kiss me."

Dream Nick lowered his face to mine and said, "As you wish."

I jolted awake to sunlight streaming into my window, a rarity for Seattle.

I had to face the coat closet on my way to the kitchen for coffee. I stood there for a solid minute before making myself walk on.

I settled with my cup and my HoloTablet at the dining table to read the morning news, but my eyes kept wandering to the entry hall. I couldn't stand it any more. It was time to be a grown up.

I crept to the closet door, once more laying my shaking hand on the knob. But the light of day gave me some weird courage, and I quickly turned the knob and yanked the door open.

Edward's head was tipped down, his eyes closed. He was dressed in navy slacks and a light blue button down Oxford, with shiny black dress shoes. His eyes flipped open suddenly, and his chin lifted, as did his full lips in that familiar Nick crooked grin. Oh yeah, they got all of the details right.

"Were you... asleep?" I said incredulously.

"Yes. After an hour of inactivity, I go into sleep mode, much like your computer does. Only you don't have to jiggle my mouse to awaken me."

A joke. He made a joke.

"You can joke? I mean, you have a sense of humor?" I gasped.

"Of course. I even laugh when I find something amusing. Doesn't everyone?" His smile stayed in place, widened a bit, even.

I slammed the door closed.

I immediately felt like a complete shit, but he freaked me out!

I stood for a moment, contemplating my options. Except for the fact that I really had no options. I slowly turned the knob and pulled open the closet door again.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Don't mention it. Is it safe for me to assume that I am the first android you've met?" He smiled again, but kept it small. Non-threatening.

Great, even the robot was treating me like a mental patient. "Uh, yeah. Yes, you are. Would you... like to... come out?"

"Very much. Thank you." He stepped forward and I stepped back, keeping a healthy space between us.

I walked fast into the living room, and on into the dining room. He softly closed the closet door and followed me. Gah. I was pretty nervous, but he pulled out the chair across from me and sat down, folding his hands in front of him on the table. He seemed so... human. I almost offered him coffee.

"Bella, would you tell me about yourself? I would like to get to know you better," he said pleasantly.

"Um... about me... not much to tell." This was the weirdest moment of my life, bar none. It felt surreal.

"Oh, come, Bella. There are so many things about you that I don't know, but am eager to learn," he nodded encouragingly.

"Like what?" I blurted. Ugh! He had me on edge and put me off-guard at the same time. I decided to just act like he was a person. I would treat him like anyone I had just met.

Sure. What could go wrong?

"How old are you?" he began.

"Nineteen."

"And do you have a job?"

"No. Well, I'm starting college in the fall, and I've written a book..."

"Ah. Your last name?"

"Swan."

"You wrote the book Sunset. It's very good. Very romantic."

"You... you know my book?" I gulped.

"It is in my database. Curiously, the hero, as described, looks like me. Is that a coincidence?"

I didn't know how to reply for a moment, and then I mentally kicked myself. It's not like he had feelings that could get hurt or anything, "The hero was modeled off of a boy I knew in high school. My friends, the girls who brought you here, they used a picture of that boy when they... ordered... you."

He nodded, "Rosalie and Alice. Very nice girls. Did you have a relationship with this boy from high school?"

"No." I mumbled, staring at the table.

"But you had some feelings for him. It's only logical. Why else would your friends make me, your new lover, look like him?"

My eyes flew to his face. He smiled again.

I freaked again. "Go to your closet!" I shouted, jumping to my feet and knocking over my chair.

He stood immediately, his smile slipping away. "As you wish," he said, and walked out of the room. I stood, trembling until I heard the latch of the coat closet click shut.

Shit, shit, shit.

* * *

 **E/N: Well, he was out for a few minutes. But you know she's too nice to leave him in there. Just let her get over her little flippy-dippy over the word "lover", and she'll be aces. Right? *snicker***

 **The Three Laws of Robotics were written by the great Isaac Asimov, and have been used by many writers over the years, since they are nearly perfect. Wiki them. The history is fascinating. If you're a geek, like me. ;-)**


	3. Domestication

**A/N: Oh my, some of you are upset with Bella. She's not mean, my darlings. She's** _ **terrified**_ **. She sees, essentially, a sex machine, one that looks like a boy who was her physical ideal. One who she had a hard-core crush on, but who she was** _ **also**_ **terrified of! Give her time. And give Edward time to show her that inside, he is nothing like horrible, beautiful Nicky.**

 **If you got here from a rec, please let me know, so I can rush over and thank them. And because I want to see what is said about it. I'm an attention hoor, you know. ;-)**

 **Shall we?**

* * *

 _He stood immediately, his smile slipping away. "As you wish," he said, and walked out of the room. I stood, trembling until I heard the latch of the coat closet click shut._

 _Shit, shit, shit._

I stood there, panting. What the hell just happened?

Oh yeah, he said he would be my lover, and I freaked out. Way to go, Bella.

Well, it was too damned early in the day for wine. I righted my tipped chair and sat down, dropping my head into my hands. What a complete clusterfuck.

A soft chime sounded over the house sound system, and a modulated female voice said, "Alice Brandon is attempting to call you."

"Answer" I called out, glad that the house Bluetooth had managed to pick up my cell phone.

"Bella! Hi, sugar!" Alice's voice was way too excited for this time of the morning.

"Hi. Isn't a bit early for you?" I snarked.

"Oh hush. I just wanted to check in with you, see how Edward is settling in..."

I groaned, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Tell me that he's at least out of the closet," she giggled, amusing herself with her own joke.

"Har har. I let him out." I didn't tell her that I made him go back in. Who needed that shitstorm before lunch?

"Awesome! Are you talking to him?"

"We talked. A bit."

"Bella..."

"Alice," I matched her tone. "Look, let me do this at my own pace, okay? Horse to water, and all that. There won't be any progress with you or Rosalie breathing down my neck."

She sighed loudly, "Okay, I get it. This is me, leaving you alone. Call if you need anything, though. Okay?"

"I swear, if I need you, I'll call."

"'Kay. Tell Edward hello. Love you!" she giggled again.

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever. Love you, too. End call."

The chime sounded and the voice said, "Call ended."

Man, I loved this house computer. Charlie's was old, and so glitchy that half the time you had to go to the control panel and manually input to get anything done.

I still had a few boxes left to unpack, and some pictures to hang, so I got busy, trying to distract myself. I instantly became annoyed at how often I found myself standing stock still, staring at the damned coat closet. Or, "Edward's closet". I snorted at myself. I had even told him to go to "his" closet. Thanks to my best friends, I was losing my mind.

I grabbed my wine glass from the night before and the two cups and spoon that were dirty, dropped them into the SaniWash, and out of habit, I watched to make sure it didn't hang up on anything. The unit washed, dried and slotted them into the cabinet as it was supposed to. I grinned to myself, delighted at having a place where everything was new, and worked as it should. If my next book sold as well as my first, I swear I would have all of the tech in Charlie's house replaced. I would have loved to just buy him a new house, or better, have one built for him, but he would squawk. He loved his old house, he loved his small town, and he loved to fish. My dad was a simple guy, and I loved him for it.

Now that my chores were done, my brain instantly returned to the problem in my closet. Edward. And yes, damn it, I felt guilty for yelling at him, and I felt like shit that he was standing there in that closet, in the dark, and alone. I tried to tell myself that I was attributing actual feelings to a machine, but it was like people did with their pets, treating them like children. I was stuck with him for the next three months, and I wasn't a mean person, so I could at least treat him decently.

Right?

I went to the closet, staying a few feet back, and knowing that he could hear me, I said, "Edward?"

"Yes?"

"You can come out now."

The handle turned and the door slowly opened. I was met with a very not-smiling Edward. He looked... no, unhappy? Ridiculous.

"I apologize for whatever I said to offend you, Bella. That was not my intention."

"It's... all right." Why was I having such a hard time looking into his eyes?

"Will you tell me what I said that upset you? I don't wish to repeat my error."

Ugh, that smooth voice.

"Let's go sit, and we'll have a talk, okay?"

"As you wish."

He sat on the sofa, looking for all the world relaxed as he crossed his legs and folded his hands on his lap. I perched on a side chair, not wishing to give him the wrong idea. "What... upset me was... when you said that you were... my lover. You are not." I felt a blush creep up my neck.

His head tilted slightly, and a small crease appeared between his eyes, "I don't understand."

"There will be no... sex... between us." Now I was blushing hotly.

"Are you married?"

"No."

"Do you already have a lover?"

I blushed again. That word. I had to get over that word. "No."

"Then why do you object to me as a lover? Your physical response to me is favorable. You are attracted to me."

What? "How can you know that?"

"Your heart rate increases, your respiration speeds up, and your blood flow to your face is obvious, even if I couldn't read your other responses. Also, why don't you have a lover? You're a beautiful woman. I can't imagine why you don't have men beating down your door." He gave me a soft smile.

"I just left a relationship, see, and... it ended badly."

"Ah. Your heart is broken."

"No! I didn't... I was... shit. I wasn't in love with him, but it hurt when I caught him with a woman. In bed. And we broke up. But I'm not heartbroken."

"There's a saying that the way to get over someone is to get under someone else. I would be happy to be that someone else, Bella. You're quite a desirable woman." He smiled a bit wider with his little joke.

I huffed a small laugh, in spite of myself, "I was never... under _him_. I've never... I mean..." Oh what the hell. He's an android. "I've never been with... anyone... like that."

"You're a virgin."

I felt like my face would burst into flame any minute as I whispered, "Yes."

"There are many pleasurable things you and I could do that wouldn't involve actual penetration."

I jumped to my feet in agitation, "Stop. Stop talking. Oh my god! You can't say things like that to me."

He sat silently with his head bowed. And here came the guilt. I had told him to stop talking, and he instantly obeyed. I felt like I had an unfair advantage, and I was exploiting it. I dropped back into my chair, "Edward, I'm sorry. You can talk."

His head lifted, and his eyes met mine, "I don't wish to offend you. Please understand that this is what I was made for. My primary response tends to be sexual in nature."

"I do understand that. But please, now that you know about... me... can you maybe just... be my friend?"

"Absolutely. I enjoy talking to you. But you should know now that I am attracted to you as well."

No way, "You are?"

"I do have the capability to appreciate physical beauty. Since I saw you for the first time last night, your image has been at the forefront of my mind. I do, in fact, desire you."

Why the hell I felt a rush of happiness at that statement, I had no idea. Okay, maybe a small idea. Who didn't want to have someone admire them? "Erm... thank you."

"So," he continued, "if I am not to be your lover, at least for now," he winked! "I am to be your friend?"

"Y-yes."

"As you wish."

"Why do you say 'as you wish'?"

"It's from my favorite movie."

"You- you have a favorite movie?"

"I do. Do you?"

"I like a lot of movies, so I can't really narrow it down, but is your favorite movie 'The Princess Bride'?"

He smiled, "It is."

"You like adventure romance movies?"

"I like _that_ adventure romance movie. I enjoy the funny bits as well."

Suddenly, I realized that he had put me completely at ease, and I wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Never get involved in a land war in Asia," I grinned.

He grinned back, "Never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line."

I giggled, and his sweet, warm chuckle echoed me.

Holy shit. I was having fun... with an android.

"Bella, will you tell me why you stayed with a man you didn't love?"

Wow, topic change whiplash. "I... it's kind of complicated."

"I think I can keep up."

Was that a smirk? Great, I get the android that's wired for sarcasm. "Well... the guy from high school, the one you look like? He... yeah, I had a crush on him. During Freshman and Sophomore years, I... had a thing for him. But he wasn't a nice guy. He... slept with a lot of girls, and he was a bit of a hoodlum, so I was afraid of him, and I kept my distance. Not that he ever noticed me, I mean, look at me."

"I do, frequently. You're lovely, and your mouth looks delicious. I wonder at this idiot boy that didn't see your beauty."

Blush.

"Anyway, he moved away between my Sophomore and Junior years, and Jake was my best friend. When he said that he liked me as more than a friend, I... I guess I settled." And just why the hell was I telling Edward all of this? It's like my filter dissolved when I looked into his eyes. Damn it.

"Jake was safe."

Damn. He was intuitive. "Yeah, Jake was safe. We were together for almost two years."

"And the reason you never had sex was that you loved him, but you weren't _in_ love with him."

"Can you read minds?" I laughed.

"No, but your story is not a new one."

"And then last month, I walked into his house unexpectedly and found him having... sex... with a friend of mine. I haven't spoken to him since."

He shifted forward on the sofa and gently took my hand, "I'm sorry that happened to you, Bella, but I want you to know that I am here for you, in whatever capacity you need me to be. Friend, confidant, shoulder to cry on. I will never reveal any secret you tell me."

His hand was warm, and smooth. It felt real, like, entirely human. I realized that it was the first time we'd touched each other, and I was strangely un-freaked-out. I looked into his eyes, and all I saw was warmth. "Thank you, Edward. That's very sweet."

"But be aware," he smiled softly and raised his other hand to my face, ghosting his fingers over the apple of my cheek, "I want you as well. I won't give up hope that you'll let me love you one day. For the record, I too want to be more than just your friend."

I sat frozen, caught by the look in his eyes. Holy shit, the look in his eyes was... fire. He was smoldering. At me. Holy shit. That was... hot.

I sat back, pulling my hand from his. His warm, smooth hand. I suppressed a shiver. "So..."

"So," he smiled again. Why did he have to be so damned pretty?

"Can you get wet, or would that fry you?" I rushed out.

He chuckled, "Yes, I need to shower from time to time. I don't sweat, but I can collect atmospheric soil. Do you not have to dust periodically? Did you not read the manual?"

I blushed, "Yes, I read it... mostly..."

"You apparently didn't get to the part where the only maintenance I need is washing. Also, there is the matter if clothing. What I am wearing is all I have. Will purchasing additional items for me be a problem?"

"No, and thank you for mentioning it. I confess that I didn't think of that. Alice, the short girl with black hair? She loves to shop. I'm sure if we give her your sizes, she will be happy to pick out a wardrobe for you."

"I would much prefer if you picked out my clothing, Bella."

I laughed, "I'm sure you would, but I don't even pick out my own clothes. Alice is my fashion maven. You'd probably hate what I bought you. You'd live in jeans and t-shirts. And sneakers," I motioned to his shiny shoes.

"I wouldn't have a problem with that."

"Well..." I hesitated. "I have to run out for some household things today anyway. I suppose I can grab you some things."

"Might I accompany you?"

"You can do that?"

"Accompany you on outings? Of course. I am not tethered to your apartment, Bella." His smile was a bit mischievous. "In fact, for your safety, I recommend it."

"So you're a security android, too?" I grinned.

"A woman as lovely as you should never wander alone."

And there was that look again. He had smoldering down pat. "Fine, we'll go shopping this afternoon."

"Wonderful," he smiled.

And so that very afternoon, I found myself locking up my apartment with a happy Edward in tow. We headed down the elevator, and his smile stayed firmly in place. "You know, if you keep smiling like that, people are going to wonder what you're thinking about," I teased.

"As well they should. I'm thinking of about two hundred things at once, first and foremost about my outing with such a beautiful woman. I imagine the envy I will engender."

I snorted, "You really need to stop saying that I'm beautiful. I'm not. I'm completely ordinary."

His smile dropped away, "Bella, you really don't see yourself clearly, do you?" He moved closer to me, running his fingers lightly over my jaw as I stared up into his eyes, mesmerized. Yeah, he was doing that smolder thing again. Gah. He was so close that I could feel the warmth of his body. "Let me tell you what I see; I see large, deep brown eyes, so deep and clear that one could lose themselves in their depths. I see nearly flawless porcelain skin with just a trace of freckles on a small, perfectly proportioned nose. I see full, berry colored lips that look ripe for plundering." He moved his hand into my hair, cupping my skull, "I see cheeks that flush a lovely pink when I draw near." His head lowered slowly, "I see the woman that makes me burn with desire."

Woah. I put my palm against his chest and pushed myself back, "Slow your roll, Romeo."

The smile came back, "As you wish."

Even I had to smile at that, even though I turned my face away. He was _not_ going to get to me.

In the car, Edward looked at me more than the scenery. Oddly, this did not creep me out. It did, however, keep the blood in my face.

We got to the MegaMart and moved into an available shopping cubicle. I was not blind to the looks that Edward was getting. He was smoking hot, even I had to admit that. I suppressed the flair of irritation at the open leers, but Edward only had eyes for me.

No, I was _not_ feeling smug.

As I flipped through the touch screen, making selections and watching them emerge on the conveyor, I instructed him to place the groceries into the bagging area. He seemed happy to be of use. I asked Edward if he knew his clothing sizes. Of course he did. I ordered some jeans in a few different styles, and some t-shirts, both plain and with logos, and in several colors. I did _not_ select that green one because it matched his eyes. I just liked the design on it. Yeah.

I added a few pairs of sweats for him, too. For casual, you know.

I picked out a few button down shirts and a pair of khakis as well. He did look nice in his shirt, with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, like he was wearing them now. I tore my eyes away from his solid forearms.

I selected some Chucks for him, and socks, and then I was stuck.

"Erm... Edward."

"Yes."

"Boxers or briefs? Or boxer briefs?"

Blush.

"What do you prefer?"

"What?"

"What would you like to see me in, boxers, briefs or boxer briefs?" There was that naughty smile again.

"I don't... I've never... what are you wearing _now_?" I huffed.

"Nothing."

Oh god.

He leaned forward, examining the screen, and then touched the picture of black boxer briefs, "This should do fine."

I let my hair fall forward to hide my flaming face and upped the quantity so that he would have several pairs.

I chose a good quality men's shampoo and body wash, glancing at Edward as I selected them. He smiled and nodded, so I assume he approved.

Once everything was bagged and I swiped my credit card, Edward grabbed all of the bags like they were weightless.

"Wow. You're strong." Why was my voice all high and breathy like that?

"You see? I'm already useful, if only for nothing more than a pack mule," He grinned, and I swear, his eyes were twinkling.

Back home, I loaded the groceries into the AutoChef and stuffed the bags into the recycle slot. I picked out an outfit and turned to hand them over to Edward, whom had been observing every move I made.

"What?" I said, slightly disconcerted.

"In the future, that will be my job."

"Why?"

"I want to make your life easier. You won't let me make love to you, it's the least I can do." Smolder.

I shoved the clothing into his chest, noticing, to my chagrin, that I had grabbed the green T, "Go take a shower." I piled the bottles of shampoo and body wash on top of the bundle.

"As you wish."

As he walked off toward the bathroom, I heard him chuckle.

Infuriating machine!

* * *

 **E/N: In my future, the kitchen is the most efficient room of the house. A SaniWash is a sink with a rubber lined area where you drop your dirty dishes. It washes and dries them, and then puts them away. I want one NOW.**

 **The house computer is equipped with Bluetooth (for the untechnologically inclined, that is a wireless connection for your electronic devices) that is run throughout your house. Your can answer your cell from anywhere in the house, and the computer will detect what room you are in, so every speaker in the house won't be blaring. The speakers are embedded in the walls, and are invisible. That technology already exists, and I WANT.**

 **I imagine shopping in the future rather like I described; no more traipsing all over the store. You select what you want from a touch screen, and it comes out on a conveyor to be bagged. I would imagine that there is a small changing room, to try things on, and a conveyor going back in, for the items you decide you don't want. I could dig shopping like that. The idea came from a video I saw about Amazon's fulfillment center. Google it. It's fascinating.**

 **It appears our Edroid is not going to give up on the seduction of Miss Swan. I wonder how long it takes him to break her down? And to what lengths will he go? *giggle***


	4. Familiarization

**A/N: This is an angst-free story. Sorry for my angst-lovers out there, but this is intended to be fluffy. Not that there won't be a touch of drama now and then... I do like to tug at your heart when I can.**

 **The lovely and talented BelleBiter is betaing for me now, taking what was a train-wreck of a chapter and turning it into deliciousness. All hail my goddess! She worked during a bout of the flu, if you can believe it!**

 **Thank you Sunflower Fran, for reccing my little story! I lurves you!**

 **If you loved Concerto, please hop over to /2016/02/01/vote-for-your-top-ten-completed-fics-january-2016/ and vote for it! I'd love to put in the header that it is an award winning story! *puppy eyes***

 **I am not Stephenie Meyer, nor do I own Twilight. Nor do I own an AutoChef, an AutoWash or a sexy android that does laundry (or otherwise). Damn it. I do, however, own this story.**

* * *

 _As he walked off toward the bathroom, I heard him chuckle._

 _Infuriating machine!_

I curled myself on the end of the sofa, knees under my chin, and gnawed my bottom lip. Was I in danger of being seduced by a robot?

Ridiculous.

And yet... he really was a sexy beast. The technology of his eyes, they were so expressive, it was amazing. I could almost see what he was thinking. And his smile made his intentions crystal clear. As for that crooked smile...

I'll admit, it had me a little swoony.

I heard the water turn on, and a thousand questions began running through my mind. Did he shower like a human? What temperature would he select? What would the water drops look like sliding and tumbling over synthetic skin?

Stop that!

Suddenly, I remembered that I had never put any towels in the main bathroom, the one he was showering in. I jumped up and trotted to the linen closet, grabbing a stack of towels and a washcloth. Tiptoeing to the bathroom door, I knocked once. "Edward? I have some towels for you."

"Set them on the counter, please."

Oh, crap. That would mean I'd have to open the door, and, however briefly, be in the same room with him... where he was naked. And wet. And naked.

I cracked the door and slowly nudged it open, just enough to fit my arm and the towels through. Unfortunately, the counter wasn't anywhere near the door - so I had to take a tentative step inside, then yet another. And that put me in a position I wasn't prepared for: the shower curtain wasn't closed all the way, and in the mirror's reflection, I could see him.

All of him.

There hadn't been enough time for the mirror to fog over, and through the steamy air, I could see his exquisite physique, wet, streaming soapy water from where his arms were raised, shampooing his hair. His head was tipped slightly back, and his long fingers were running through the foam covered strands, the water making it look more brown than copper. Helplessly, I traced my eyes down his solid neck to his broad shoulders, over his rounded biceps, down the rippled sinews of his back, which tapered deliciously in an ideal wedge to narrow hips and a high, firm ass, perfectly delineated with muscular indents on either side. Strong, athletic thighs... that moved and turned him until he was nearly facing me at a three-quarter angle that let me see everything as my eyes began to wander back up his magnificent body.

Greek gods would weep with envy.

He wasn't bulky, but he was well-muscled, nonetheless. Sparse hair, darkened by water and flattened to the skin across his delicious chest, superb, washboard abs, a thin happy trail below his navel, and a distinct "V" leading down to...

Woah... the words "elephant trunk" flashed through my mind.

Dear god, did it just twitch?

My gaze flashed up to his face, suddenly realizing what I was doing. He was looking right into my eyes, smiling slightly... and smoldering. As soon as I realized that I was clutching the towels to my chest, his hand dropped to the shower curtain, pushing it back and asking unashamedly, "Would you hand me the washcloth, please?"

I dropped the towels to the counter, keeping my chin tilted up, trying desperately not to stare at...

Holy mackerel.

My fingers were trembling uncontrollably as I snatched up the washcloth and handed it to him, not moving my feet, just leaning toward him. I kept my eyes locked on his. His fingers closed over the cloth, brushing my skin in the process.

His smile stretched a bit wider. "Would you like to join me? I could wash your back."

Squeaking something unintelligible, I spun around and dashed out of the room, slamming the door behind me. But not before I heard that damned, sexy chuckle echoing off the tiles.

I paced the living room, my fingers knotting together, my stomach full of butterflies. How was I supposed to face him, after getting caught ogling him in the shower? Should I leave? No, that would be rude. Pick up a book and look casual? I snorted. I couldn't pull off casual with my face as red as a beet.

The water shut off, and I panicked. Think, Swan!

Slipping out onto the balcony, I curled into a chair in the corner farthest from the door. Maybe he wouldn't come out.

I pulled my knees up, hugging them tight. Please. Please. _Please_...

He stepped out onto the balcony, and immediately came to sit in the chair right next to mine. "Bella."

"Edward," I squeaked. I was staring out over the city; anywhere but directly at him.

"You're embarrassed."

Ya think? I didn't reply, just buried my face in my knees, letting my hair act as a curtain to hide my flaming blush. I felt his fingers brush the back of my hand, and then sweep back my hair. "Why?"

I sputtered, my face was burning, and I couldn't look at him. "I was rude."

"How so?"

I peeked at him from the corner of my eye, and he wasn't smiling. As a matter of fact, he looked concerned. "I... I was staring at you. When you were doing something private."

"I have no privacy from you, Bella."

My head whipped around. "What?"

"I don't _wish_ to have any privacy from you. I honestly wanted you to take off your clothes and join me. It was arousing, knowing that you were looking at my body. I like that you find me attractive."

My mouth dropped open.

"Why does it surprise you that I want you?" He looked so earnest.

"I've never... no one has ever... " Why couldn't I form a coherent thought?

"I find it very hard to believe that I'm the first man to find you desirable," he smiled softly.

I snorted. "People don't just go around saying it."

"So, no one has told you that they want you? Not even your ex-boyfriend?"

"Well, no. Not in so many words."

"Then I apologize for making you uncomfortable. I won't say it again." He turned and looked out over the city then, as I had earlier.

My heart sank a little. I felt like I had hurt him, and I wasn't a mean person. I hated hurting anyone. Edward did have feelings, it was obvious, and I needed to be more cognizant of that.

But why was I feeling the tiniest bit disappointed? Did I _want_ him to keep telling me that I was desirable?

"I... Edward, I didn't mean to make you feel bad." I reached out and touched his arm with my fingertips.

He turned and looked at me then, his green eyes guileless. "I don't feel bad; I just understand you better now. Rest assured, I won't tell you how much I want you. But that doesn't mean I won't _show_ you."

Gulp.

"W-what... does that... mean?" I stuttered.

He turned his chair and nudged it closer to me, until they were touching. "Will you let me try something?"

Nodding, I bit my bottom lip.

His hands came up to frame my face, his touch feather light. He smoothed his fingertips along my jaw, and then my brow, gazing at me as if I were the most precious thing he'd ever seen. He used his thumb to pull my lip from my teeth, and then brushed it tenderly over the abused flesh. "You bite your lip when you're nervous. Do I make you nervous, Bella?" he whispered.

Unable - or unwilling - to nod and dislodge his hands, I soundlessly mouthed, "Yes," His clear, emerald eyes held me pinned like a butterfly to a board.

He smiled softly, and pushed his fingers into my hair. Tilting my head forward, he pressed his lips to my forehead, so tenderly.

I forgot to breath.

Somehow, my hands had risen of their own volition to cling to his biceps.

I let go abruptly and pulled away from his touch, his hands dropping to his lap.

I was in trouble.

Bolting to my feet, I stepped shakily to the railing, looking down at the street twenty two stories below.

Thankfully, he didn't rise to stand near me. My self control was on a thin tether – and it wouldn't take much for it to snap. I couldn't stop trembling. Why did a simple kiss affect me so?

"Bella."

"Yes," I whispered, not looking at him.

"I enjoyed that very much."

"Me, too," I mumbled to myself, remembering his excellent hearing.

"What was that?" he asked. Was that amusement in his voice?

"Nothing. Look," I continued, turning. "That was nice and everything but, I don't think... "

"It's not something one has to think about, Bella. It's about feeling, and you seemed to enjoy the feeling. Did you not?"

Holy crap, he was smiling that crooked smile again.

I didn't say a word, just brushed by him to go back into the apartment. I know I was being rude again, but I was overwhelmed.

* * *

Edward was never far away.

He didn't get all up in my space or anything. He was just always... there. Not enough to be annoying, but enough for me to always be aware of his presence. When I glanced at him, he always gave me his warm little smile.

The thing that got to me were the little touches. When I'd walk past him, his fingers would reach out and trail down my arm. Or when I was sitting, he'd take my hand and play with my fingers. Nothing overtly sexual, but every stroke sent shivers down my spine. Every tiny caress made desire curl in my belly.

When it was finally time for bed, I was just a tiny bit weirded out; what do I do with Edward?

So there I stood, in the middle of the living room, hands twisting into knots. "Um... Edward?"

Soft smile. "Yes, Bella?"

"I'm... yeah, I'm going to bed now. You can just... stay on the sofa. Right?"

Why do I feel guilty?

"As you wish."

And why does he look just the tiniest bit disappointed?

Well, that just had to be the way it had to be. Should I offer him bedding? No, I was being ridiculous again. With a firm nod, I took off for my bedroom, closing the door behind me. My hand hovered over the lock, and I ruefully shook my head at myself. I was being silly. There was no way he would enter my room without my permission.

Would he?

No. I left the door unlocked.

I changed into sleep shorts and a tank top, then crawled into bed. Hopefully, I would actually get some sleep tonight.

Yeah, not so much. My mind was on the hamster wheel, and I couldn't shut it off.

Edward. What am I going to do about this attraction?

Jake. I still had a box of his stuff in the top of my closet. Should I just mail it?

My book. I had the outline all prepped. Should I start it now, or wait to see what school would be like?

School. Did I have what it takes to be a successful college student?

Rosalie and Alice. They were going to prod at me about, well, everything. I dreaded that.

Emmett and Jasper. They were most definitely going to find out about Edward. More dread.

I groaned and flipped over, burying my face in my pillow.

Eventually, I managed to drop off.

Somehow, I seemed to find myself at Jacob's house – with Leah there, stretched out in his bed, lazily mocking my disgust with a slow smile. Then, when I could finally turn away from her derision, I noticed all of my friends from the res were suddenly standing there, too, laughing and jeering. Panicking, I felt myself trying to run in different directions, looking for a door, but there wasn't one. I cried out, turning from wall to wall, the taunts ringing in my ears.

Suddenly, arms were around me, pinning me in place. I struck out, trying to get away...

And then I was awake, and Edward was wrapping his arms around me, whispering, "Bella, wake up, sweetheart. It's just a dream. I'm here. Shh... "

Without thought, I clung to him, feeling safer than I had in a long time. He stroked my hair from crown to tips as I sobbed, clutching fistfuls of his shirt in my hands. His other arm was a band of steel around my waist, anchoring me to his body, and instilling the strongest sense of security. He rocked me slowly, murmuring, "You're safe. I will never let anything hurt you." I could hear the deep rumble of his voice through his firm chest, so comforting. His scent surrounded me, musky, spicy, too delicious, and all man.

I put my arms around his neck, drawing comfort from his embrace - oddly, not caring at all, I realized, that he was an android; merely meant as some sort of heartbreak consolation prize, and a start-over housewarming gift from two friends. Instead, he was there, and he made me feel protected. At that moment, he was just Edward; just a man who cared about me. His hand smoothed up and down my back, so warm...

His hand slid under my hair, cupping the nape of my neck as he kissed my forehead and reached for the tissues on my nightstand, blotting my face and then making me blow my nose like I was a child. Strangely, I didn't mind at all. "Can I get you anything? Some water, perhaps?"

"W-water, yes," I hiccuped.

He went for the kitchen and was back right away, opening a bottle of water and sitting back on the bed. He took my free hand as I gulped half the bottle, my throat raw from my cries. He squeezed my hand gently and asked, "Better?"

I nodded. It was so nice to be taken care of.

"I just want to try something." His hand moved to my cheek, sliding along my jaw and into my hair as he brought his face closer to mine. "Stay very still."

My eyes fluttered shut just as his lips brushed against mine, once, twice, and then he pressed them more firmly. It was a very chaste kiss, as kisses go, but it was wonderful all the same. His lips were soft, and his fingers in my hair were gentle. I have no idea when my hands found their way into his hair, but there they were, clutching the silky strands and pulling him closer. His tongue traced the seam of my lips, and without thought, I opened to him.

Nirvana.

He tasted like lotus blossoms and honey, sunshine and dark chocolate. He was delicious, and I couldn't help sucking at his lips and tongue, hungry for more. He was very good at it, because my whole world narrowed its focus to his mouth, his hands on my neck and scalp, and my fingers in his hair.

He bit gently at my bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth. My moan startled me out of my trance and I pulled away from his moist lips abruptly, staring in shock.

"You... how... that was..."

"Amazing," he smiled, resting his forehead against mine. His eyes were closed, and he still wore that soft little smile. My stomach was doing flips, and I realized that our hands were still in each others hair.

Leaning away from him, his hands dropped to his lap. His obviously distended, jean covered lap. Holy shit, he was hard.

And substantial.

Perhaps I should have been frightened, a little freaked out, maybe. But no. The sight of his... erm... excitement sent a bolt of pure lust to my abdomen. My traitorous mind flashed immediately to how he looked naked.

And wet.

Fighting down my inappropriate feelings, I grabbed the water and took a few gulps, anything to distract myself.

"Can you go back to sleep now?"

Shrugging, I blushed. I was feeling pretty wound up, thanks to that kiss. That, and knowing that if I laid back down, my mind would spin again. It was just... that I didn't want to be alone. "Would you... stay with me?"

"Of course. Clothes on or off?"

"On, please! Well, you can take off the jeans," I said, hesitantly. It wasn't any less than what I was wearing, right?

"As you wish."

Flipping back the covers, I scooted over, while he wasted no time toeing off his shoes, sliding out of his pants and socks, and slipping in next to me. I chose to ignore any obvious focus on the front of his boxer briefs. He pulled the blanket up over the both of us, and then gathered me into his warm arms without my asking. Surprisingly, he wasn't pressing the issue, and he didn't press that issue against me.

It was... really nice.

Snuggled into his side, my head on his shoulder and my hand resting over his chest. He felt... real. And he smelled delicious. His heart was thumping under my hand so soothingly...

"You have a heartbeat!" I gasped, amazed.

He chuckled. "I do."

"That's... kind of cool."

"Thank you."

I could almost hear his smirk in the dark, and it made me chuckle as well.

It was strange, how comfortable I felt, with his warm arms around me, his fingertips sweeping slowly up and down my arm. He kissed my hair, whispering, "Sleep, love."

His endearment warmed me, and I was so relaxed that it didn't take long for me to drift off, wrapped in the arms of my robot.

* * *

 **E/N: Well, Bella appears to be warming up to Edroid. But will he ever get into her britches, like he** _ **really**_ **wants? Stay tuned!**


	5. Imagination

**A/N: Kudos to my lovely BelleBiter, who once again, takes a mess and makes it magical.**

 **When we left off, Bella had a nightmare, and sweet, sweet Edroid crawled into bed with her, allowing her to drift off peacefully.**

* * *

I dreamt that I was lying in a meadow, surrounded by wildflowers and ringed by trees. The sun was shining down, and it was so warm... especially since I was wrapped in someone's arms. When I raised my eyes, it was to peer at the face of Nicky Brooks; but then again, it... wasn't. The eyes were different. Oh, they looked like the same brilliant green - but there was no coldness or derision lurking beneath the surface, no signs of cockiness or arrogance that were the trademark of a Nick stare.

Instead, there was warmth, affection, and no small measure of desire. It made me shiver with delight.

This was Edward. My Edward.

A part of my brain understood that I was in a dream, but it felt incredibly real, so _right here_. I lifted a hand to run my fingers through his silky hair. I was sprawled half on top of him, his lips mere inches from mine, and I felt his solid thigh pressing slightly between my own, moving deliberately in such a delightful way... sending shards of heat through my belly, then lower. It was the best dream I'd had in such a long time, so I let myself enjoy the contact as I felt his arm beneath me curl around my waist, pulling me closer, guiding my movements against his leg. I felt the hard ridge of his cock pressing against my hip, and moaned down low in my throat.

There was absolutely no shame in the way I was grinding myself against him. His lips touched mine, and I sank into his kiss. It was lush and lazy, like the warm breeze caressing us.

In this suspension of blameless dreaming, I let my hand wander across the contours of his chest, bunching his shirt in my fist, pulling it up to expose the defined ridges of his stomach. Trailing my fingers over his taught skin, I felt him shudder as I sucked on his tongue.

Delicious!

Edward's hand tangled in my hair as I boldly stroked the little line that disappeared beneath the waistband of his underwear - vaguely curious as to why he would be wearing them in this fantasy. No matter, I thought to myself, as I followed the treasure trail and wrapped my fingers around his warm cock, squeezing it and tracing the pulsing vein that ran from the full, mushroom tip to its thick base. A rumbling groan echoed through his chest and into my mouth. His kiss deepened, as I stroked back up, slowly, and then swept my thumb over the head, relishing in the slippery precum that I spread around like glaze over a treat.

Idly, I thought about the manual, and how it said that his semen would have no taste... but, as I kept reminding myself, stopping to deliberate the details had no place in the misty middle world of dreamland that I was trying to make last just a little bit longer. Besides, if I slid down his body to taste him, I would lose the wonderful contact between my pussy and his thigh - where I was awfully busy grinding my way to an orgasm. How hot would it be to watch him lose his mind as I swirled my tongue over the length of him? Maybe after...

He broke the kiss as a ragged voice caught my attention.

"Bella, Sweetheart, wake up."

Why did he want me to wake up and leave him behind in this spectacularly sexy place between sleep and waking? Ignoring his words, I nuzzled into his warm neck and slid my hand further down to cup between his strong thighs. Nice, firm and high... not dangly, like Jake's. Smooth and hairless, probably fun to lick and nibble. I was enjoying the fact that his cock was bigger as well; so thick and long. And why was I wearing shorts? Surely this would feel better if I were naked. Maybe I should pause long enough to strip them off...

"Love, please. I want you awake for this," he panted.

My hand froze, still shoved deep in his underwear, still cupping his balls.

No. No, no, no. Oh fuck. I am now _very_ awake.

Somewhere along the way, the wildflower-filled meadow had disappeared, replaced by Egyptian cotton sheets. Somewhere along the way, I had morphed from reverie to reality, and I was smashing my wet sex to Edward's leg, and...

Holy shit, I was downright molesting this poor man.

Snatching my hand from his shorts, every detail was sharp: the pop of the elastic against his skin; the rustle of the sheets as I rolled away from his body; my mournful feeling at the loss of delicious contact.

Oh my god, snap out of it, Bella!

Standing next to the bed, completely mortified - and yes, I'll admit, still turned on - I couldn't look at him.

"Bella, what... "

Cutting him off, I ran for the bathroom, crying out, "Oh, Edward, I'm sorry, _I'm sorry!_ " Without looking back, I slammed the door, sliding down to sit on the floor with my back to the panel.

His gentle knock made me jump. "Sweetheart? Are you okay? Did I do something wrong?"

"No. Edward, please... just give me a minute, okay?"

"As you wish." He sounded so... dejected. And I was a jumbled mess of my embarrassment, deep disappointment in myself, and sheer terror at the feelings he was creating in me.

Rising to my feet, I braced my hands on the sink, staring into my own eyes in the mirror. Come on, Bella. This is where you act like a grown-up. Put on your big-girl panties and face it. What's the worst that could happen?

 _I could lose my mind, drop to my knees and put my mouth all over him, like I had wanted to three minutes ago._

Stop that! Despite what he was designed as, I couldn't make myself believe that he wasn't a sentient being, entitled to his dignity.

Sentient, intelligent, sensitive... and hung. Damn it! Thinking about how hard and hot he had felt in my hand was scrambling my brain.

I blew out a long breath, then drew in another. Dignity, Bella! Here goes nothing.

Slowly opening the door, I peeked out into the bedroom... and there he sat, on the edge of the bed, looking for all the world like he was distraught and uncertain. Seeing _him_ so ill-at-ease actually gave me courage. I stepped out of the bathroom, shoulders squared.

Luckily, it appeared that his hard-on had subsided. Jeez, Bella! Were you hoping it was still there?

"Edward, I'd like to apologize. I'm sorry that..." I gestured toward him. "I'm very sorry that I touched you. Without your permission, I mean."

His head tilted to the side. "You don't need my permission to touch me, Bella. I'm yours. You can do whatever you wish to me, and with me. Also, I enjoyed it. Immensely. I was sorry when you ran away." His lips moved into that easy, sexy, crooked smile.

"But I was asleep!" I shouted, then caught myself, drawing another breath to calm down. In a quieter tone, I continued, "Well, at least I thought I was dreaming. I would never... I couldn't... "

"Bella, please come here." He patted the bed next to his hip. When I hesitated, he smiled wider. "I promise I won't bite."

Huffing obnoxiously, I walked over to sit next to him, making sure to keep a few inches between us. I trained my eyes on the floor.

"Look at me, please, Sweetheart." His voice was husky, soft and sweet, and I tamped down a shiver at what it did to me.

Through sheer force of will - although I wasn't sure _whose_ will - I lifted my eyes to his.

He reached for my hand, twining my fingers with his. "I want you to realize that I am yours, completely. Nothing you do to me is off limits. Outside of the quality control lab, yours was the first affectionate touch I've ever received, and I liked it. More than I expected to. Bella, I'm built for sex, but I enjoy spending time with you as well. You're intelligent, witty, and so beautiful. I never expected to feel this much attraction to my owner."

Flabbergasted, I struggled to find words. His admission that mine was his first, kind contact touched me in a way I never expected. It wasn't pity, exactly; no, I realized it was a sudden sort of _compassion_ instead. I felt a rush of warmth toward him, and hesitantly squeezed his fingers. "Then you're... happy here?"

His head tipped back as he laughed right out loud; it was a sight to behold. And I suddenly wanted desperately to suck on that Adam's apple.

"Oh, Sweetheart, If you only knew what I was expecting, you wouldn't have to ask. Yes, I'm extremely happy. May I ask a favor from you?"

"S-sure."

"May I continue to occupy the bed with you when you sleep?"

Yeah, to say I was speechless was an understatement.

"You seem prone to nightmares. The first night, when I was confined to the coat closet, I heard you cry out in the night. I detected no intruders, so I could not override your directive to stay in the closet. But last night, when I held you, you settled peacefully, and slept calmly through the night. It stands to reason that if I am present, your rest will be easier."

Huh. He had a point...

"Let me think about it?"

"Of course." He raised my hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss on the backs of my fingers. "I will be a gentleman, and abide by your wishes, whatever you decide." His sparkling emerald eyes caught mine. "But I still want you, more than ever. And I'm not giving up. I can't forget how good your hand felt on my... "

Leaping to my feet, I snatched my hand away, yelling, "Okay! I got it! Coffee! I'm going to make coffee now!"

I dashed from the room, his light laughter dancing after me like a shadow gently chasing me down the hall.

* * *

It was definitely a French press type of morning, so I pulled out the serious coffee accoutrements and set the kettle on to boil. Not that the AutoChef didn't make great coffee; it's just that there was a part of me that liked it old school from time to time.

Once my coffee was done, creamed and sugared, I settled in at the table with my tablet opened to the Seattle Times.

Edward had showered and dressed and was giving me some quiet time as he perused the titles lining the bookshelves. I read the headlines three times before I realized that I still had no idea what they said. Edward, in those butt-hugging jeans and his baby-blue button down shirt, was just too distracting.

"Don't you have all of those in your... erm... database?" I ventured.

"I do. But seeing what books you cherish enough to keep in print form tells me a lot about you. I'm hungry for knowledge about you." He winked, and turned immediately back to the shelves... to consume more information, of course.

Which, it turns out _I_ was immediately grateful for - as I had blushed yet another impossible shade of crimson. It was probably the way he said "hungry." Or perhaps just my perverted imagination.

No, he was smirking. Damned, sexy android!

The phone chime sounded, and the computer voice said, "Rosalie Hale is attempting to call."

"Answer."

"Bella?"

"Hey, Rose." My eyes cut to Edward, but he appeared still absorbed in the bookshelves.

"How are... things?" I could hear the smirk in her voice.

" _Things_ , Rosalie? Gosh, I have no idea what you could be implying when you say _things_ ," I snarked.

"Bel-la!" she whined.

"Ros-ie!" I mocked.

"Just tell me, have you done the nasty with Edward yet? Man, he is one hot numbah, sistah."

"Rose! He's in the room! And to answer your question, _no -_ as if it were any of your business," I hissed.

"Oh," she gave a nervous giggle. "Hi, Edward!"

"Hello, Miss Hale."

"Call me Rosalie. Or Rose. All of my friends do, and I hope we'll be _great_ friends."

I groaned and dropped my head into my hands.

Edward's chuckle made me look up again, and he smiled into my eyes as he replied, "Hello, Rose. I hope we will be great friends as well."

"Yeah, but, hey, I meant it. You are one hot number," she sassed, brave, I suppose, because of the actual miles between her and the object of her teasing.

Edward gave as good as he got, though, and it made me rather proud of him; "You're pretty hot yourself, Rose. Your young man, Emmett is a lucky guy. Almost as lucky as I am." Then he winked at me.

Was it possible to blush to death? And just how much had my so-called friends discussed with Edward - between picking him up from the factory, and then stashing him in my coat closet?

"Should I assume there was a reason for your call, Rose, or did you just want to embarrass me?" I cut in on their flirtation.

Her laugh floated over the line, "No, no. That's just a fringe benefit. I actually called to warn you that Em and Jazz are insisting that we all visit you this afternoon."

"What?!"

"Yeah, They're in love with your humongous TV. But hey, we can just tell the guys that Edward is an old school friend you got back in touch with. That'll work, right?"

"Oh, god, Rosalie."

"He can pull it off. Jasper might be a bit suspicious, but you know Em will totally buy it. Come on, it'll be a hoot!"

"A hoot. You're going to give me gray hair, Rose."

"And that's why God invented beauty salons. Look, if we don't let the boys come, they're going to get nervous. You know how protective they are of you, Bells. This is the first time you've lived on your own, and you're very far from your dad, and home. They promised the Chief that they'd look after you, and they take that responsibility very seriously."

Sighing, I nodded. "I know. Damn it. It's just that Edward has only been here for two days, and... "

"Oh, yeah, still in the 'honeymoon phase.' I get it."

"Rosalie!" I hissed.

Through her laughter, she chided, "Jeez, Bella. You're too easy. How you manage to best Emmett is beyond me."

"I can't help that your big, bad boy-toy shows up to a battle of wits unarmed. Or half-armed," I snorted.

"Yeah, he's a half-wit, but he has those dimples, and you know I'm a sucker for dimples. And a spectacular ass. Oh, and speaking of spectacular asses, did you notice Edward's? It's... "

"Rose!" Blushing, I shot a panicked glance at a clearly smirking Edward, who, by this time, had turned his attention to me and away from my book collection. She was in a mood, that was for sure. Em and Jasper can never know about Edward. I would never _ever_ live it down, and there would be robot sex jokes until the day I died. Most likely, even at my funeral.

Besides: the image of Edward's ass, wet and slick with soap, was burned into my retinas. I didn't need reminders.

"Anyway, we'll be by around four. Love ya, mean it! End call."

And she was gone.

Shit.

"Erm... Edward?"

"Yes, Sweetheart?"

"Can you pretend to be... an old friend from school? I mean, when they all come over?"

"If I can pretend to be a pirate, set to ravish the helpless captive princess, I think I can pull _that_ off."

Gulp. "You can... role-play?"

"Oh, certainly. I'm particularly intrigued by one called 'Cat-Burglar'. You see, I pretend to break in... "

"Yes! I'm aware of 'Cat-Burglar'," I gritted.

"Well, have you heard of one called 'The Sultan and The Harem Girl'?"

"Edward!"

"Yes, Sweetheart?"

I pointed forked fingers at my eyes. "Focus!"

"Yes, Sweetheart."

"And you can't call me 'Sweetheart' when people are here."

His face fell. "I can't?"

"No."

"Can I call you Sweetheart when we're alone?"

"Why do you call me Sweetheart?" I huffed.

"Because you are so sweet, and you do funny things to my heart."

Melting in spite of myself, I murmured, "Yes. You can call me Sweetheart when we're alone."

"And may I have a kiss?"

"No! Well, maybe... no!"

"Just a small one?"

He looked so forlorn and lost that I threw my hands in the air and stomped over to where he was standing. "A _small_ one." Great, now he knew what a pushover I was. Because this kiss was for _his_ benefit.

Not mine. So.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against his body. I'll admit that it felt strangely, suddenly wonderful, being pressed up to those hard muscles. He held me so tenderly, slowly lowering his head and brushing his lips across mine. I was transported back to my wishful-dreaming of this morning, and - without realizing I had done it - both of my hands were buried in the hair on the back of his head, pulling his mouth closer to mine.

It was like this: every time he got near me, I forgot how to Bella.

Or breathe.

When his tongue touched my lips, they opened like magic to him. Forget free will. I was rapidly becoming helpless to his highly-calibrated, amorous machinations.

He tapered off, ending an almost soul-searing kiss with soft sucks of my lips - top, bottom, then top again. He pulled back and smiled down at me, as I tried desperately to focus my eyes. "Was that small enough?"

"Great. It was great. Yeah. Great."

Apparently, my opinion was that it was... well, you get the picture.

He chuckled affectionately and pressed his lips to my forehead, squeezing me briefly. "And that is why you are my Sweetheart."

I made myself pull out of his arms, and he reluctantly let me go.

"You're so... the disheveled, open shirt, walking-from-a-dip-in-the-lake Mr. Darcy," I mumbled. He had no right being that attractive. His speech pattern, which might appear to others to be stilted, to me sounded like he was from a different age; a very proper - but very barely restrained age, at that. All of that holding-sexuality-at-bay, until one was set to burst...

"Pride And Prejudice Mr. Darcy?" he smirked, interrupting my musings.

Pursing my lips, I said, "Well, perhaps a bit."

"Would that be the Austen novel Mr. Darcy, or one of the film Darcys?"

"The film. The two thousand eighteen film, the one with Robert Pattinson. He played the best Mr. Darcy. Although Colin Firth made a damned fine, sort of _wet_ Darcy."

"I liked Kyra Knightly as Elizabeth Bennet. But now that I've met you, I think you could do an admirable job."

Snorting, I nodded. "I would make a kick-ass Lizzie Bennet."

"And do you admire the sensibilities of the Regency period, Miss Swan?" He gave a correct little bow that charmed me to my toes.

Answering with a little bobbed curtsy, I simpered, "Indeed I do, Mr. - Oh crap! We have to give you a last name!"

"We do?" His brow furrowed adorably.

"We do!" I turned to the bookshelves. "Here, look around, see if there's a surname you like." I pulled a book off the shelf at random and started leafing through.

Edward plucked a selection off the shelf as well. "Here, what about Mr. Carlisle?" He held out the book, a medical text by a Dr. Carlisle Cullen.

Tapping my lip thoughtfully, I cocked one eyebrow at him. "No... Mr. Carlisle sounds made-up. But Cullen has possibilities... Edward Cullen. What do you think?"

He considered briefly, then announced, "I like it. But may I have a middle name as well? Humans have middle names, do they not?" His eyes were twinkling, and I could tell he was enjoying himself immensely.

I glanced at the shelves again, my eyes drawn to the Xanth series of books by Piers Anthony. "Edward Anthony Cullen. It sounds very... solid."

"Edward Anthony Cullen," he repeated. "Yes, I like it."

"Well, I'm very pleased to meet you, Mr. Cullen." I held out my hand, regally arching my brows.

He took my hand and bowed over it, then he flipped it and pressed a warm, wet kiss to the inside of my wrist. Looking up at me devilishly – through eyelashes that would make most women sigh with envy - he merely said, "The pleasure, Miss Swan, is all mine. For now."

When I managed to remember myself, and finally shut my mouth, I couldn't help the giggle that bubbled up from my throat.

Charmer.

* * *

 **E/N: So, if you've never had coffee via French press, you're missing out. I'm super cereal. It's teh awesum.**

 **But really, could you see Rob as Mr. Darcy? Dressed in breeches and a tailcoat, holding his tall beaver hat, all proper and dreamy? Hey Hollywood! Make a movie, P &P from Mr. Darcy's POV, and cast our beautiful Rob! Who would be your perfect Lizzie Bennett?**

 **So, the reviews have been amazing. You all are so sweet to me! This time, I'd like to hear the titles of your favorite norty role-playing game. Just the title. Then we can all giggle our asses off trying to figure it out.**


	6. Temptation

**A/N: Mea culpa, my darlings. I had some shit go down in my life that sent my muse on vacation. I had to step away for a bit, but I think I'm back on track, and ready to continue Bella and Edroid's story. Which I will NOT abandon. Pinkie swear.**

 **I have to agree that Emma Watson would make a great Elizabeth Bennett to Robert Pattinson's Fitzwilliam Darcy. *swoon***

 **All hail the lovely Bellebiter for her amazing beta skills.**

 **A short bit of a synopsis, because it's been so darned long since I updated:**

 **When we last left the confused owner of a very sexy Edward Real Man™, Bella knew that she had crossed a line when it came to how she was beginning to feel towards her impossibly sweet, incredibly hot mandroid. Did she even know what she wanted? Was what she wanted only possible in her extremely** _ **interactive**_ **dreams?**

 **Shall we?**

* * *

 _"Well, I'm very pleased to meet you, Mr. Cullen." I held out my hand, regally arching my brows._

 _He took my hand and bowed over it, then he flipped it and pressed a warm, wet kiss to the inside of my wrist. Looking up at me devilishly – through eyelashes that would make most women sigh with envy - he merely said, "The pleasure, Miss Swan, is all mine. For now."_

 _When I managed to remember myself, and finally shut my mouth, I couldn't help the giggle that bubbled up from my throat._

 _Charmer._

Edward and I spent some time going over our backstory, and I stuck true to the adage KISS, - or "Keep It Simple, Stupid" - so there would be less chance of messing up.

"I know it's just the guys we have to fool, and I don't really expect the Spanish Inquisition-" I began.

"No one expects the Spanish Inquisition," he quipped.

So adorable. "Edward, pay attention. This is important," I said sternly. At least I hoped I sounded stern. I was stifling a chuckle at the time.

"Yes, Sweetheart."

And there was that crooked little smile that made my heart thump.

We went over our manufactured history a few times, just so that I had it down. Edward's brain had it on the first go around, of course; I was the one that was shaky. I'll admit, some of the history I described were things I may have fantasized a bit about Nick. He _had_ been my crush, after all. If only he had been as sweet as my Edward, I wouldn't have been able to resist him.

At three o'clock, I jumped in the shower, shaving all of the relevant bits. After blowing out my hair, I threw on boy panties, a cream-colored, linen skirt that ended mid thigh, a strapless bra that, miraculously, matched the panties; and a silky, sapphire blue, spaghetti strap tank. I felt a bit over-dressed, and almost changed to jeans... until I noticed the time, then quickly slid my feet into some cork-wedge espadrilles and took off for the kitchen.

Snacks were a necessity. I couldn't bear the disappointed looks if I didn't have munchies for the boys.

I punched in a selection of finger foods on the AutoChef, and then added a pitcher of margaritas as an afterthought. Gotta keep my girls happy, too.

Opening the top cabinet, I stretched up to reach the margarita glasses just as I felt Edward behind me. He wasn't touching me, but the heat from his body gently radiated against my back. He was... very close.

"Let me," he murmured near my ear, sending a shiver up my spine. He reached up and easily grabbed the stemware, his chest finally brushing against my shoulder blades. I gripped the counter, unable to move away. He placed the glasses on the marble slab in front of me, and maintained the contact between our bodies. I was completely frozen, waffling between wanting to run in terror - but also wanting to lean back, increase the contact.

Without another word, Edward hooked his fingers around my hair hanging over my right shoulder, drawing it back and leaving my neck feeling terribly, wonderfully exposed. His warm hands cupped the curved caps of my shoulders, briefly, before beginning a slow, smooth slide down my arms. His chest pressed more firmly against my back, and I felt surrounded by his heat, his scent. His lips were near my ear, and his breath swirled against my skin; the combination of this and his touch left ice-hot trails of goose flesh in their wake.

The journey of his fingers ended on my suddenly nerveless hands, and he wrapped them in his. Almost as if in a daydream, I lazily noted how big they looked, how they dwarfed my own as he gently lifted them, raising them up, up, until they were stretched back over my shoulders; and he curled his fingers around mine, causing me to grasp the silky hair at the nape of his neck. The position arched my back, bringing my behind into direct contact with...

Oh lord.

My sweet android was aroused. I felt the ridge of his very hard hard-on pressing into my ass. I fought to stay still, because my instinct was to stretch like a cat and... _grind_.

His hands began the agonizingly slow trek back along my arms, from wrist to elbow, then further down. I was panting by the time he was grazing his fingers along the sides of my breasts. My nipples sprang to life. I bit my lip to keep from crying out at the brief contact.

His left hand curled around my ribs, his thumb pressing into the side of my breast. His right hand splayed over my abdomen, his pinkie resting a hairsbreadth above my pubic bone. A sharp frisson of electricity shot through me, zapping through my belly where his hand was resting, centering between my legs. I felt my pulse kick up - also centering between my legs. I didn't know women could _throb_. My hands clenched tighter in his hair.

He pressed his right hand more firmly, pushing his hard length into my ass, and his breathing picked up.

Almost dissolving, I felt his lips touch the shell of my ear as he began whispering hypnotically, "Can you feel what you do to me, Bella? Can you feel how much I want you? Oh, Sweetheart, I love how you're trembling under my touch. I want to make you feel good."

He pressed his lips to the hollow beneath my ear, sending jolts of desire throughout my body. His left hand moved up, until the edge of his index finger was snug against the underside of my breast. His sweeping thumb nearing my tightly knotted nipple, but never quite near enough. Did he know he was tormenting me? "I want to know what you sound like when you fall apart for me. I want to be the one to make you cry out in passion. I want to feel-"

The sound of a throat clearing was an unexpected bucket of cold water. I whipped my head to the left, and there were eight eyes, staring. Four shocked, four amused. My friends and their boyfriends were clustered in the doorway.

"Oh!" I dropped my hands instantly, and stepped away from Edward. He moved smoothly to stay behind me, resting his hands on my shoulders. I suspect he was not just being a touch protective, but also using me to hide his obvious arousal, and I almost giggled out loud like a crazy person. "Hi guys," I said nervously.

Alice grinned. "We knocked."

"You obviously didn't hear us," smirked Rosalie.

"Bella?" growled Emmett, completely falling into big-brother mode. "Who's _this_ guy?"

Rosalie popped him lightly upside his head. "We _told_ you her friend Edward was staying with her."

"Friend," snorted Jasper. "Em and I are your friends, Bella. Nobody ever said we were allowed-" It was Jasper's turn for a head-smack as Alice piped up, "Are you sure you want to finish that sentence?"

Jasper shut up, but he didn't stop glaring at Edward. Damn it to hell, they had such great timing.

The AutoChef chimed softly as the first tray of canapes emerged. Saved by the bell! I grabbed the tray and shoved it into Edward's hands. "Hey, the food is ready!" I babbled. Edward looked at me for a second before his lips twitched and raised into his crooked grin.

"Edward, if you'll take these into the living room, I'll grab the 'ritas." I handed off the second portion of food that had appeared, then busied myself with a tray, loading the salt dish for the drinks. I balanced a few Heinekens in between to shut down any potential bitching about 'frou-frou' drinks. I know my boys.

Alice bustled over, arranging the glasses and pitcher. "I'll take this. We want it to get there unscathed." I rolled my eyes, but didn't contradict her. Hey, I own my klutziness. Unfortunately, it left my hands free, and I was known to broadcast nervousness by twisting them together ruthlessly. I made the concerted effort to relax them at my sides as we all trooped into the other room.

Everyone moved into the living room, where silence fell. No one sat, and the tension in the air was as thick as fog in London. I cleared my throat. "Emmett McCarty, Jasper Whitlock: this is Edward C-Cullen." Damn it. "Edward, Emmett and Jasper." I swept my hand around, indicating who was who as I performed the introductions.

Edward, obviously recovered from his pants predicament, stepped forward smoothly, offering his hand to each man in turn. "It's a pleasure to meet you, gentlemen. Bella has had nothing but wonderful things to say about you. I thank you for being her protectors," he said smoothly. Atta boy!

Unfortunately, Emmett had to go all cave-man and attempt to squeeze Edward's hand. Edward's indestructible – but incredibly gentle – robo-hand. This could all blow up, right here and now!

Edward's brow furrowed for a second as Emmett's obvious attempt to crunch down earned him another smack to the back of his head from Rosalie. Hands dropped, and everyone began to settle. Emmett and Rose on the sofa, Alice and Jasper on the love seat. I'm pretty sure that was some sort of plot by the boys to keep Edward and I from sitting together. Obviously, they didn't think it through, though, because it left me the chair - with Edward settled on the arm, leaning slightly over me and loosely draping his arm along the back... but oh-so-casually resting his fingers on my shoulder, toying with a lock of my hair.

Great; 'Friend' Edward had just became 'Boyfriend' Edward in one, smooth, backfiring gesture - at least in the eyes of my pseudo-brothers. Suppressing a huff, I really hoped Edward could keep up. I felt bad for him, as both guys were shooting him threatening looks.

Jasper was first into the breach. "So. You and Edward, huh?"

In for a penny... "Yeah," I grinned nervously. "We... went to school together. He was a grade ahead of me. We ran into each other a few days ago, and... "

"And he's living with you now? Pretty fast, wouldn't you say?" Emmett gritted.

Alice - bless her tiny, pea-picking heart - piped up helpfully: "When you know it's right, you know. Right snookums?" she simpered at Jasper, who knew better than to roll his eyes.

He sighed, "Yes, gum-drop." We all knew how fast he and Alice had become an item, so they had no room to talk. Emmett, however...

"Well, I don't like it. Does the Chief know about him?" He jerked his chin at Edward, frowning; and looking for all the world, like a child denied a treat.

Oh crap.

I dropped my face into my hands and groaned. But I hadn't counted on my girls, who always had my back.

Rosalie scowled at Emmett, "No, not yet. And _you_ are not opening your big yap about it."

"I promised Charlie-" he began, self-righteously, only to be cut off by Alice.

"Look. Bella is a grown up, and able to take care of herself. She'll tell Charlie when she feels ready, and not a second before. And you will _not_ mention it to him. _Capiche_?"

"But I promised him... " Emmett whined.

"You promised to look out for her, and keep her out of danger. Does Edward look dangerous?" Rosalie smirked.

Both of the guys swung threatening stares Edward's way, as the feminine contingent rolled their eyes.

Jasper cleared his throat. "Edward, what are your intentions towards our Bella?"

"Jasper!" I shouted.

Edward finally spoke up, turning to look into my eyes. "She's everything. From the moment I saw her again, all other women ceased to exist for me. I belong to her, and I will be hers until she decides otherwise. She owns my heart. No one has ever been as devoted as I am to Bella." He turned to look at the guys. "I would die for her."

Four mouths hung open. No, make that five. I closed mine with a snap, letting out the breath that I hadn't realized I was holding, and fighting to get my thudding heart under control. His emotional speech had been so convincing, so natural that I could almost see... love, shining in his eyes. God, that had felt... real. I nearly reached up to cup his jaw.

Get it together, Bella. Machines can't love. He's playing a part.

I peeked at my friends, just to see how they had taken that little bit of play-acting, and I was astonished. Jasper was looking down, with a small, rueful smile. Rosalie and Alice were making the 'aww' face, and Emmett... holy crow, Emmett's eyes were watering!

"Em?" I said, tentatively.

"So, let's play some video games!" He shouted and jumped to his feet, attempting to distract us all from his big, mushy, cream-puff heart. He turned on the TV, flicking through the game selections on the screen. We all saw him wipe at his eyes, but chose to leave the man his dignity.

He selected a war game, handing out the controllers to Edward and Jasper, and I tensed up. Did Edward know how to play video games? Wait, of course he did. But could he pull off playing them like a human?

Alice grabbed the margarita pitcher and the salt dish, Rosalie grabbed the three glasses and they hustled me out onto the balcony. I turned as soon as the door was closed, and knowing Edward could hear me, I said, "Edward, let Emmett win, but narrowly. Wipe the floor with Jasper." He gave a slow nod, not looking away from the TV screen. Man, that was handy!

Better safe than sorry.

Alice shoved me into a chair, and Rosalie put a margarita in my hand. Hands on her hips, and with a cheeky grin, Alice began the interrogation. "Now, girlie. We want all the deets. Don't leave _anything_ out."

Huffing out a sigh, I looked out over the city. "There's nothing to tell, really... "

Rosalie scraped a chair closer and plopped down. "Bullshit. We saw what we saw, and that little scene didn't look like _nothing_. It looked like you were enjoying Mr. Hands in your kitchen."

Wincing, I threw a glance at the door. "Shh! He has really, _really_ good hearing."

"I got this!" said Alice, and popped back into the apartment - only to emerge seconds later, with my tablet. She powered it up and opened a notepad app. She pulled the stylus out of its hole and started writing, _'We saw YOUR hands in HIS hair, and his hands all over you.'_

I snatched the tablet away, wiped it clean, and wrote, ' _It was_ _nothing!_ _'_

 _'And he wasn't whispering dirty things in your ear, either, huh?'_

Rosalie was enjoying herself _way_ too much. I scowled and scribbled back, ' _Is nothing sacred?'_

 _'Nope.'_

 _'Fine, yes, he was talking sexy.'_

 _'That's so hot.'_

I rolled my eyes. _'That's it. He wasn't touching anywhere naughty.'_

Alice didn't even bother to stifle her laughter. _'But you_ _wanted_ _him to be touching you somewhere naughty!'_

Oh, she was such an infuriating midget! But... was she right? At that moment, before they walked in, wasn't I hoping that his hands would move further? Wasn't I about to push my ass harder against him? Wasn't I seconds away from begging him to...

Oh shit. Shit, shit, shit.

I dropped my head into my hands. I didn't want to face the fact that... I wanted him. Badly.

I felt Rosalie's sharp nail dig into my ribs, and looked up to see her thrusting my tablet at me.

 _'It's_ _not wrong_ _.'_

I scowled and wrote, _'He's a machine.'_

Alice snatched back the tablet. _'Did you hear what he said? Did you see how he looked at you when he said it? He's programmed for sex, Bella. Not love. That sounded a lot like love to me.'_

I scoffed. _'Yeah, and my AutoChef has a crush on_ _you_ _Alice.'_

Alice growled and grabbed the tablet. _'Let me do some research. You guys sit there and drink.'_

She shut down the notepad app and pulled up my browser. Rosalie began telling me a story about some drama at her job, but I wasn't really listening, and I think she knew it. Bless her, she was trying to distract me.

After some time spent with Rosalie chatting, Alice humming occasionally, and me chewing the hell out of my lip, Alice finally sat up straight in her chair, gasping dramatically.

"You guys have to see this!"

She shoved my tablet into my hands. "What am I looking at, Alice?" Rosalie scooted closer to look over my shoulder.

"This is a bulletin from the Real Man™ website."

The page was titled, "General, Non-Emergency, Voluntary Recall, Edward 2115 Model."

Oh shit. I kept reading.

"Some Edward 2115 Model Real Man™ units are displaying unusual activity. They appear to be forming strong attachments to their owners. This is a non-threatening event, and owners of Edwards displaying this trait are in no danger. If this type of behavior is undesired, please return your Edward to your nearest Real Man™ outlet for reprogramming or replacement at no expense to you. We apologize for any inconvenience."

I know my eyes were as big as saucers as I stared at Alice.

"Now this," she continued, switching to a different page in the browser.

"What fresh hell is this?" laughed Rosalie.

"It's a chat board, for Real Man™ owners. This thread is specifically about the Edward model and the recall. Read!"

The heading for the thread was, "Not _My_ Edward Recall."

The first post was from an Edward owner who had changed his name to Raul ( _that_ deserved the eyeroll it engendered). This woman said that her Raul had declared his undying love for her, and she was thrilled. She would never return her darling Raul, and would shoot the first person from Real Man™ who tried to take him.

This comment was followed by post after post, from both women and men, all saying basically the same thing.

Brad loves his owner.

Thomas loves his owner.

Francois loves his owner.

Holy shit.

* * *

 **E/N: Well now, this is an interesting development!**

 **If you've never seen the Monty Python Spanish Inquisition sketch, you are SO missing out. YouTube it!**


	7. Satisfaction

**A/N: Again, a heartfelt thank you to Bellebiter, the best Beta a girl could ask for!**

 **Let's just get to it, shall we?**

* * *

 _The heading for the thread was, "Not_ _My_ _Edward Recall."_

 _The first post was from an Edward owner who had changed his name to Raul (_ _that_ _deserved the eyeroll it engendered). This woman said that her Raul had declared his undying love for her, and she was thrilled. She would never return her darling Raul, and would shoot the first person from Real Man™ who tried to take him._

 _This comment was followed by post after post, from both women and men, all saying basically the same thing._

 _Brad loves his owner._

 _Thomas loves his owner._

 _Francois loves his owner._

 _Holy shit._

As soon as I ushered my friends out of the front door, I pressed my hand to the security plate. This simultaneously deactivated the plate in the hallway outside my door, and also informed the building computer that I was 'in' for the night. One of the things that Charlie loved about my building were the layers of security.

Not that he trusted technology all that much.

What a day! I was reasonably sure that Jasper and Emmett had no clue that Edward wasn't human, but it still made me nervous having them hang around each other. The giveaway could have been almost any detail, big or small: like when I realized I hadn't gotten far enough in the manual yet to find out if Edward could ingest anything, so that when Emmett handed him a beer, I was sweating enough for the both of us. But my Edward tipped back that Heineken like a pro.

All in all, it was a good first meeting, though. Jasper was still a bit on the wary side, but that was just Jasper. You had to earn his trust. Emmett, on the other hand... by the end of the evening, he was treating Edward like the Third Musketeer. He even got Edward in a headlock once, giving him an old-school noogie. The confusion on Edwards face was comical, and I could see the exact moment his computer memory gave him the answer to what was happening to him. It was rather cute, and Em only did that to people he liked. I should know.

Now if I could just get Alice and Rose to stop with the sexual innuendos. Ugh!

I turned from locking up to see that Edward had already cleared away the party clutter, and I found him in the kitchen, feeding the last of the dirty dishes into the AutoWash. "Edward, you didn't have to do all that."

"It was my pleasure, Sweetheart. You must be tired after all the company, and I love to take care of you." He gave me a warm smile, and I nearly melted into a puddle on the spot. Damned, endearing android.

"Well, then. If you're done in here, I'll set the house vacuum and we can go to bed." I heard my words, and my cheeks immediately went radish red. "I- I mean, uh... to sleep. In bed."

Crap.

Edward smiled, and I could swear that his eyes twinkled. "Of course. To sleep."

Was that a wink? Kill me now.

Pressing my lips together, I scooted down the hall, leaving Edward to douse all the lights. I snagged some ragged jersey shorts and a faded, stretched out t-shirt to sleep in, then locked myself in the bathroom to change. I've never been much of a pajama girl, and nightgowns ended up twisted around my neck by morning. I had flirted with the idea of sleeping in the buff, but now with Edward in my bed every night, that was right off of the table.

After scrubbing my face clean and brushing my teeth, I slapped on moisturizer, changed into my sleep clothes and combed out my hair. The entire time, I was straining to listen for Edward. Was he in my room yet? My nerves were stretched tight, and I was feeling like... holy crap, like a bride on her wedding night.

Snap out of it, Swan!

My mind drifted back to the speech Edward had given Emmett. He had said that I was everything.

Everything.

That he was mine, and that he would die for me. The memory made me shiver... and not in the bad way. Surely, that was just for my friends' benefit? Surely, he didn't have the glitch I had read about?

Surely not.

But how would I feel if he did? Pressing my hand to the butterflies swarming in my stomach, I really tried hard to examine what I was feeling. I found that the predominant emotion was... warmth. The very concept of him in my room, in my life, in my _bed_ , gave me pleasure. Oh lord... I liked the idea.

How? He's not real! Well, yes, he was real; but he wasn't human. I remembered how those people on the website had been so fiercely protective of their robots, and with a sinking feeling in my chest, I finally concluded that what I felt for Edward was... true affection.

Shit. I really, _really_ liked him. As a person.

I realized that I had been standing at the vanity, clutching my comb and staring into my own eyes for several minutes without actually seeing myself. Dropping my comb back into the drawer, I shut it with a slam. Enough!

Don't be a coward.

He told me that he'd never do anything that I didn't want...

What did I _want?_

I had no idea.

Being completely honest with myself, he turned me _on_. Jake had never made this feeling that curled in my belly happen. Never.

Hell, he had never even given me an orgasm. Yeah, I faked it, to make him feel good. Sue me.

Heaving a deep sigh, I eased the door open. The overhead light was off, and one bedside lamp was lit, casting a soft, golden glow over the room, over the bed, and... over Edward's bare chest.

He was _in_ the bed. Blankets pulled up to his waist, propped up on the pillows, with his arms folded behind his head. And his gorgeous chest was bare.

Oh, did I already mention that? Yeah. Completely uncovered, slightly flexed, dusted with rust-colored hair, and looking... positively edible.

Edible? Geez, Bella.

Walking to the bed, I slipped in next to him, pulling the blanket up over my breasts. I was stiff as a board, arms lying rigidly beside me, on top of the covers. I felt like the bride of Frankenstein. All I was missing were the shocks of white in my hair. Not that I wouldn't develop them, living with Edward.

"Are you tired, Sweetheart?" Edward murmured.

"No. Yes. Um... a little." Geez, Bella, it was a simple question.

"Would you like to talk?"

I raised one shoulder slightly, a tiny 'I don't know' shrug.

"May I kiss you good night?"

Another small shiver went through me, which I fervently hoped that he didn't see, but knew he did. Danged computer-man with his computer... everything. "Yes," I whispered.

And I really wanted him to kiss me. I mean, that was his primary function, right? Physical pleasure? It had been a pleasure earlier...

He sat up and leaned over me. God, I was so ready... but not ready. He lowered his face to mine ever so slowly, like he was approaching a wild animal. I stared into his eyes as he got closer, closer... then squeezed my eyes shut. Here we go!

But... he only brushed his lips against mine, and then settled back on his side of the bed. What the hell?

"Good night, Sweetheart."

I didn't reply. I was... disappointed. After all of that feeling-me-up business in the kitchen earlier, this was all I got? I snapped off the bedside light, plunging us into a near darkness relieved only by the night light's glow from the bathroom.

I laid there and stewed for a few minutes, and then... my courage rose. Or my desperation. It was hard to tell at that point.

Flipping onto my side, facing him, I cleared my throat and said, "Uh... Edward?"

"Yes, Sweetheart?"

Oh man, here goes nothing. "I was wondering... if it would be... okay... to..." Crap. Just say it.

"Could I touch you? I... I mean, feel your skin?" Idiot! "W-what I mean is... is... I just... wanted to know if you felt... "

"Human?" He smiled in the dark, as I turned ten shades of red. Stupid blushing face. He could probably see it anyway. Infrared night vision, or some crap.

"Yeah. Would you mind awfully?"

"I would be delighted. Please. Touch me, my Bella."

Oh, that was so... sexy. I stretched out my hand and placed it tentatively on his forearm as it lay between us on the blanket. My eyes went from his face, to my hand on his skin, and back again. I could just make out his features in the dimness, and he never looked away from my eyes. I traced my fingers slowly, softly along his arm, feeling the silky hairs there, skimming the contours of his muscles. I moved higher, over the hard bulge of his bicep, reveling in how warm his skin was, how smooth...

"You can't imagine how that feels," he sighed.

"It feels... good?"

"It feels incredible, my Bella."

I knew I should stop, but oh, I didn't want to. Flashes of his hands on me this afternoon, in the kitchen, seared through my brain. I let my trailing fingers move up, to his shoulder, to his neck, into his hair. His eyelids fluttered, and then closed. He was really enjoying my touch, and I was driving myself insane by touching him. I should roll over and go to sleep. I should just...

But as if they had a life of their own, my fingers moved back down Edward's neck, and gently outlined his collar bone. My eyes must have had time to adjust to the dim light, because when he opened his eyes again and looked into mine, I could see his face all too clearly... and what I saw was naked desire, matching my own.

Without even thinking, I curled my hand around his neck and pulled myself to him, fusing my lips to his. One of his hands framed my jaw, the other plunged into my hair to cup my head, and, then, he was kissing me back.

And what a kiss! His tongue was plundering my mouth, and I couldn't get enough. His lips were soft, yet firm, and I had to stop myself from biting at them. It was all fire and passion, with a touch of desperation on both sides. I pressed my chest to his, completely lacking in shame. It felt good, so I did it. I sucked on his tongue until it retreated, and I followed it with mine. His moan as he drew my tongue into his mouth made the heat rise in my belly. I heard myself making tiny grunting noises, and I couldn't care enough to make myself stop. I wanted Edward. I _needed_ him.

Sweet, shy, innocent Bella was nowhere to be found. Completely lost.

Somehow, and I never even noticed when, he had rolled us so that I was on my back, and his body was fused to my own. One of his legs nudged between mine, and I could feel him against my hip, hard, insistent. The idea that I turned him on, that _he_ wanted _me_ was heady stuff, and I was drunk with it. His thigh pressed up into me, and I gasped into his mouth. My heart was pounding, my head was spinning, and all I could think was: _more_.

His lips broke from mine, only to move to my cheek, my jaw, then my neck. Who knew that spot right behind my ear could make my toes curl? Well, Edward did, obviously, because his tongue danced over that spot repeatedly. I heard whimpering. It was me.

"Bella," he groaned. "My beautiful Bella. How I want you."

"Guh," I moaned. Yes, so articulate. But I was beyond caring, because his fingers had found their way to my ribs, and the feeling of them, even through cotton, brushing against the undersides of my breasts so softly, sent a jolt of pure heat through my body. His lips skimmed back to mine, sucking lightly on my top lip, my bottom lip, my top again.

"Let me touch you, my Bella. Let me make you feel good," he moaned against my mouth.

What? No, I could never - that is totally out of the - "Yes," I whispered.

Wait, did I just say yes?

But it was beyond my control then, because I could feel his fingers at my waist, under my t-shirt, stroking my skin. And it gave me chills. The good kind.

His hand slid up along my stomach, pushing my shirt higher. Abruptly, he rolled to his back, and I found myself astride him, pressing my heat to his hardness, and my shirt was gone. I looked down into Edward's hooded eyes and was suddenly seized with embarrassment. I crossed my arms over my naked breasts, flushing brightly, my teeth digging into my bottom lip.

"Oh no, my love. Never be ashamed of your beauty." He took my wrists and gently pried my arms away. I felt those burning, green eyes on my flesh. "Exquisite," he breathed.

Waiting for him to grab my breasts, I braced myself, squeezing my eyes closed... but it didn't happen. Edward released my wrists, sliding his hands up my arms until both hands were buried in my hair. He sat up, bringing his face close to mine, and then he kissed me softly.

What was this? The few times that Jake got my shirt off, his big mitts always, _always_ went straight for my breasts. I didn't mind that much, it felt okay, once I got him to stop squeezing so hard. Only, it always made me feel like... I don't know, an object. Like my head ceased to exist the minute the boobs appeared. But this... was so different. Yes, we were both topless, and his eyes were filled with such... desire. And yet... Edward wasn't mauling me. He was just stroking his fingers through my hair, and worshiping my mouth with his. It made me feel cherished. It made me want him _more_.

Just when I thought I'd faint, either from Edward's kiss or from lack of oxygen, his lips slid from mine, but only to move along my jaw, down to my neck, to my shoulder. His mouth caressed the join between my neck and shoulder, then moved to my collarbone, placing kiss after kiss from one side to the other. His hands dropped to my hips, and then he pressed a long lingering kiss right over where my heart was thundering away. He sighed out a soft breath against my flushed skin, and whispered, "My beautiful Bella." My arms moved around his shoulders and my hands gripped his thick, silky hair.

Edward helped me unfold my legs, and pulled them around him, so we were both sitting up, me perched on his thighs. I was the tiniest bit disgruntled that the sweet, hard pressure was gone, just as I was starting to want some friction...

And then, suddenly, it all seemed so absurd. Not Edward. Not being here like this. And most certainly not wanting him the way that I now admitted to myself that I did. No, the absurdity was the fact that I was eighteen years old, a published author about to start college, living on my own for the first time... and still a virgin.

The arguments with Jake about waiting - or not waiting, in his case - swiftly echoed through my head. My moment of complete clarity made me realize that I hadn't been waiting for marriage, or for the moment to be right. I had been waiting for... this. This feeling that I had with Edward; feeling cherished and adored. Feeling, for the first time, truly desired, and, at the same time, on fire for the man in my arms.

His hands began smoothing down my back, tracing mystic designs and creating shivers of delight all over my body. Simultaneously, his lips began moving again, moist and warm on the slope of my breast. His tongue darting out now and then, tasting me, driving me insane. My nipples were so tight it was almost painful, but he avoided them, making me whimper.

Then his lips were hovering over one of my hard peaks, and I could feel his breath wash over me, making me shudder with need. His eyes flashed up to mine, and he whispered, "Yes?"

"Yes," I groaned, and used my grip on his hair to pull myself toward his lips.

Oh, god.

It was so good. Licking, sucking rhythmically, lightly scraping his teeth against me. His hand moved to my other breast, mimicking with his fingers how his mouth was thrilling me. I felt how wet I was, and I arched my back, gripping his hair in my two fists, my hips moving forward, trying to find that friction again.

Moaning like a whore in church. Again, I didn't care.

His hand dropped from my breast, to my stomach, barely touching my skin, dancing around my navel, sketching the waistband of my shorts. My abdominal muscles clenched, then trembled. He let my nipple slip from between his lips, looking up at me again with those killer, hot, impossibly green eyes. He moved to my other breast, but before taking it into his mouth, I felt the very tips of his fingers dip below the elastic of my pants and he whispered, "Yes?"

"Yes," I agreed quickly. Yes, oh hell yes, _please_ yes.

Again, I was waiting for the jamming of the fingers. It was what I knew. But again, I was wrong. He gently smoothed his fingertips down my belly, pausing to pet the small patch of hair on my mound, and then, almost delicately, slipped between my lips. He slowly circled my clit, and a jolt of pure desire shot through me like electricity. For a moment, every muscle in my body stretched and locked, and then released me. I felt light-headed. My forehead dropped to his shoulder, and his his lips moved back to my neck.

Apparently, unlike Jake, Edward knew what a clitoris was, where it was, and what to do with it.

He moved his fingers back to my entrance, circling there as well, and then he slipped the middle one inside me, using his thumb to keep stimulating my clit. "Oh, my Bella. You're so wet for me. You feel so good," he groaned.

"Yes," I gasped. It seemed to be the only word I could remember.

So gently, yet with just enough pressure, he moved his finger inside of me, making me wild, adding his ring finger. My hands dropped from grasping his hair, to his clutching his shoulders. I needed to touch him, too. I stroked his skin, dragging my nails down his chest. He hissed against my neck, and then blew out a breath. "Touch me, Sweetheart."

Letting my fingers track over the dips and ridges of his perfect abdomen, feeling the line of rust-colored hair below his navel, I paused at the waist of his pajama pants. He raised his head at the same time I did, and I echoed his question, "Yes?"

" _Please_ ," he breathed.

There were three snaps closing his sleep pants, and I wasted no time popping them open. Mother Mary and all the saints, he was commando. And there, between the parted sides of fabric, lay the most perfectly gorgeous cock I had ever seen. Okay, not that I had seen that many, but I was a child of the internet, so I'd seen a few. And I'd seen Jacob's smaller dick. But this... thick and straight, with bulging veins, and a perfect mushroom head the exact color of his lips, surrounded by a neatly trimmed thatch of that same red-brown hair.

And oh, he was so hard.

That was the last time I thought of my ex.

With his hand moving between my legs, driving me higher, I had to have my fingers wrapped around him. And oh, god, he felt so good. Steel wrapped in velvet, warm, intoxicating. His moan into the side of my neck let me know I was doing it right.

He pulled back just far enough to capture my mouth with his, his tongue doing crazy things to me. I tried to maintain a rhythm for him, but he curled his fingers and touched something deep inside of me that had me on the brink. I kept one arm around his shoulders, stroking him with my other hand. His hand was around my neck, under my hair, holding me to his lips.

My attention narrowed to how his fingers felt inside of me, how he felt in my hand. He must have seen it happening, or felt it, because he said, urgently, "Yes. Oh, my Bella, come for me."

"Oh... oh... Edward!" I cried out as my orgasm washed over me, my forehead again on his shoulder. My world whited out for a second, and I vaguely heard him whisper, "So beautiful." No vibrator, no shower head had ever made me feel... this much.

His hand slowed, letting me come down gradually. I realized that my hand on his cock had fallen still, so I started stroking him again. He voiced his appreciation with a groan.

My stroking sped up, his hips flexed, and all I wanted was to make him feel as good as I did. "Oh, Sweetheart. You feel so good. I wish I were inside you," he moaned against my mouth.

At that moment, I sort of wished the same thing. Could I? Just raise up and... oh god, but it would hurt. I shouldn't be on top for that. Should I?

All that fast became a moot point, because now I could tell he was close, and I just wanted to see him fall apart for me. I totally understood how he had felt, watching, making me come; it was so arousing. He wrapped his arms around my waist, actively moving with my hand, thrusting with my strokes. "Bella. God, Bella. Do you want me to come for you, Sweetheart? Come in your warm little hand?"

"Yes," I gasped. Holy shit, I was all wound up again!

"Oh, love. I'm going to come for you," he panted. "Come so hard for you... Ugh... "

And then his arms tightened around me, and he was jerking in my hand, pulsing; and I felt the warm splash of him on my stomach, on the undersides of my breasts, and it was so... satisfying. I nearly came again just feeling _with_ him; his head thrown back, the tendons in his neck standing out, his breathless cries of ecstasy.

That was the single, hottest thing I had ever seen; Edward, out of control, transported by rapture. For me.

His head tilted forward again, resting on my shoulder, his breath slowing. "Are you okay, love?" he asked, still sounding a bit winded.

"Yeah," I whispered.

Lifting his head, he caught my chin with his (thankfully) not-smelling-like-me hand, and brought his lips to mine again. "You have no idea how wonderful that was for me."

Of course, true to form, my cheeks caught fire. "I... I have an idea. It was... pretty wonderful for me, too."

Chuckling softly, he lifted me to sit on the bed, and then hopped up and headed for the bathroom. He came back right away with a warm, wet washcloth and a towel. I reached for it, but he just smiled and shook his head, delicately cleaning his release off of me, and then patting my skin dry. I felt like a princess.

After he disposed of the washcloth, he came back and snuggled into the bed with me, tenderly pulling me into his side, and then tucking the blankets around the both of us.

We laid quietly for a moment, my head pillowed on his shoulder; one arm around me, the other hand stroking my arm as it lay on his chest. Then Edward spoke again, quietly, almost as if he were in awe. "I never knew... that is to say, I didn't realize... "

It wasn't like Edward to be tongue-tied. He had a computer for a brain, after all. But he sounded like he couldn't find the words. "What, Edward?" I said softly, reaching up to stroke his jaw.

He gazed down at me, his eyes looked positively bewildered. "I knew, from the test in the lab, that sex would feel good. But Bella, what I felt with you was... so far beyond what it was before. I didn't know how much better it would be, with... "

"With?"

"With someone special," he finally finished.

I really didn't know what to say, then. I was special? I never _felt_ special, at least never before tonight. I was just plain, ordinary Bella, from Forks.

"Can I be honest, too?"

"Of course, Sweetheart."

"I've never... had that happen to me before, either." I really should keep my mouth shut, but... lying wrapped in his arms, his shoulder under my cheek, gave me a courage I usually lacked. "No one has ever made me..." Ugh, we just did it, why can't I _say_ it?

"Made you come?" I can tell without looking that he's smiling.

Blushing again, I burrowed my nose into his shoulder and grinned. "Yes."

His quiet laughter echoed through his chest, and he gave me a brief squeeze. "I'm really very happy that I was the first one, my Bella."

"Me too," I said, shyly. And then I yawned, completely exhausted.

He squeezed me again. "It's late, you should sleep."

I nodded, and, just out of pure instinct, raised my face for a good night kiss. He was happy to oblige me, and I snuggled down - feeling sated, boneless, and safer than I have ever felt in my life.

The darkness had nearly swallowed me, and I was on the edge of slipping away into slumber... when I vaguely felt his lips pressed to the crown of my head, and I could have sworn I heard Edward whisper, "I love you."

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 **E/N: I have nothing to say. I'd rather hear what YOU have to say. ;-)**


	8. Situation

**A/N: My Beta had a tragedy in her family, so this chapter is presented to you unbeta'd**

 **SOMEone is pimping me and/or my stories, because I got a big rush of new readers, favs and follows! Tell me who, so I can thank them!**

 **Sorry for the delay. I really had to walk away from writing for awhile, or risk ruining the story.**

 **Now get in there!**

* * *

 _"I've never... had that happen to me before, either." I really should keep my mouth shut, but... lying wrapped in his arms, his shoulder under my cheek, gave me a courage I usually lacked. "No one has ever made me..." Ugh, we just did it, why can't I_ _say_ _it?_

 _"Made you come?" I can tell without looking that he's smiling._

 _Blushing again, I burrowed my nose into his shoulder and grinned. "Yes."_

 _His quiet laughter echoed through his chest, and he gave me a brief squeeze. "I'm really very happy that I was the first one, my Bella."_

 _"Me too," I said, shyly. And then I yawned, completely exhausted._

 _He squeezed me again. "It's late, you should sleep."_

 _I nodded, and, just out of pure instinct, raised my face for a good night kiss. He was happy to oblige me, and I snuggled down - feeling sated, boneless, and safer than I have ever felt in my life._

 _The darkness had nearly swallowed me, and I was on the edge of slipping away into slumber... when I vaguely felt his lips pressed to the crown of my head, and I could have sworn I heard Edward whisper, "I love you."_

Waking up slowly, I reveled in the warmth surrounding me. Strong arms held me against an equally strong body, with a knee tucked between mine. My face was nestled nicely into a sweet smelling neck, as I let myself drift towards consciousness.

As my brain began to function again, I thought about the day ahead. As nice as it was here, cradled against a very male, sleeping body, lunch with the girls, I thought, would be great. Maybe some shopping this afternoon. It would give us time to dish about our guys, and I could tell them what Edward said-

Oh, crap. What Edward said.

I must have stiffened or moved, because I felt Edward stir as well, 'waking up' from his brand of sleep. "Good morning, Sweetheart." I felt his lips on my brow. "Did you sleep well?"

Did I imagine it? "Yes," I rasped.

"Good. Would you like a shower before breakfast?"

"Yes," I squeaked, still not moving from my cocoon of man skin. Maybe I dreamed it.

He pulled me closer for a moment, smoothing one hand down my back before letting me go. "What would you like?"

I'd like you to do that thing- no. Damn. "Just toast and coffee, please." I had to get my head on straight. I was sure I had imagined it.

"May I have a 'good morning' kiss?"

Oh, damn him. "Yes," I whispered, and tilted my face up to his, keeping my eyes closed. Yes, I was hiding. His lips pressed to mine, briefly, sweetly.

"Good morning, Sweetheart," he murmured. "Raspberry preserves?"

Scooting out of bed, still unable to look at him in all of his half naked, glorious morning dishabille, I dashed for the bathroom, calling, "yes," over my shoulder.

Once I was safely in the bathroom, door securely locked, I allowed myself to breathe. It absolutely _was_ my imagination. No way did Edward say that he loved me.

After showering and blowing out my hair, I felt steadier, and I made my way to my dining table, where Edward had set up my coffee and toast. The coffee exactly the way I liked it, a pot of raspberry preserves next to my plate of toast that was the exact shade of brown that I preferred. Nice.

I fidgeted my way through my breakfast, still unable to look Edward in the eyes. Even though I was absolutely sure that I had dreamed those three words... what if I hadn't?

I called out, "Conference call, Alice and Rosalie." In seconds, we were all connected.

"Morning Bells, Alice," yawned Rosalie.

"Morning sweeties," Alice chirped.

"Hey, Bitch Squad. I'm thinking we need to do some lunch. What say you all?" I was doing my best to sound normal, but by Alice's response, I knew I had failed.

"Uh-oh. Bella needs to talk, Rosie. Let's go to that cafe near your office. It has outdoor seating, and we can confab in private."

"Sounds good. I'll meet you both there at noon, and clear my afternoon, so we won't have to rush. My Bitches need me."

Unfortunately, neither one of them could see my epic eye roll. "Noon it is. Bye. End call."

I finally raised my eyes to Edward, sitting across from me at the table. "I... I'm going out for lunch with my friends, Edward. You'll be all right here alone for a bit?"

"Of course, Sweetheart." He rose from his seat to come clear my dishes and bent to drop a kiss on the top of my head. "You need some girl time."

If he only knew.

I spent the next few hours trying to work on the sequel to my book, but all I could think of was Edward. He was sitting quietly on the sofa, not doing anything, but every time I peeked at him, he glanced back and smiled. It was almost as if he felt my gaze. It was a really good thing he couldn't read my mind because I was stuck in a loop; remembering his fingers, my hands, stroking. I quickly looked away as a shiver shot through me.

Finally, it was time to get ready for my lunch date. I threw on jeans and a black, long-sleeved Henley, shoved my feet in my favorite old tennies and grabbed my gray hoodie. Now to get my keys and bag, and slip out...

But of course, Edward met me at the door. "Have a good time with the girls, Sweetheart." He bent his head and I was helpless, I had to kiss him. He caught my eyes with his, and whispered, "But hurry home to me. I love you."

Holy shit! He _did_ say it! Again!

"Um... thanks!" I squeaked and barreled out the door.

Thanks? That was the best I could come up with; _thanks?_

I don't remember the trip down the hall, down the elevator, across the parking garage. I found myself in my car, gripping the steering wheel and thinking about Edwards words.

Oh, my god, he loves me.

Edward loves me.

What the hell do I do with that?

I found parking near the cafe and spied Alice immediately at a nice spot along the side of the patio dining area. No Rosalie yet, but a waitress had just deposited a frosty pitcher of Margaritas on the table, and it was a welcome sight. Alice poured the second she saw me, and I grabbed her glass, taking a long pull the instant my butt hit the seat.

"Woah, girl! Pace yourself, hey?" she laughed.

Rolling my eyes, I chugged the rest and slammed the glass on the table. "Hit me again," I gasped through the burn in my throat.

"Jesus, Bitches. Start without me, why don't you?" huffed Rosalie, sliding into her seat and snatching the pitcher off the table.

"Wasn't me," said Alice, eyes wide. "Miss Alky here swooped right in and went to town."

"I needed it," I panted, thrusting my glass toward Rosalie. "And when I tell you what I have to tell you, you're going to need it too."

"Ooo," purred Rosalie. "I knew when you called that you had something earth-shattering to share, so I cleared the afternoon."

Rose was a divorce lawyer, and a damned good one. She was so in demand that she could afford to pick and choose who she represented. But it was always women, and almost always involved a cheating husband. Once Rosalie Hale was retained, the other lawyers tended to push their clients to give their future ex-wives whatever they asked for. She was scary.

"I canceled tea with Jasper's mama," Alice giggled. "Not a huge loss. I told her I had a friend in distress. So what's the skinny, Minnie?"

Taking a slurp from my newly refilled glass, I drew a deep breath and said, "Last night, me and Edward..."

Simultaneous gasps came from my companions. "You did it?" Alice shrieked as Rose clapped her hand to her mouth. Thankfully, we were the only ones on the patio at the moment, or I'd have died. Alice can be loud.

"No! No, no. We didn't do 'it'. Not... not exactly..."

"What does 'not exactly' entail?" smirked Rosalie.

I hadn't really intended to go into all of that, but the proverbial cat was out of the bag anyway, and I didn't hide anything from my Bitches. God knows that I had to hear about both of their first times in excruciating detail.

"We... um... we kissed, and then we... started touching..."

Alice squealed, "He finger-banged you! I knew it!"

"You did not, Mary Alice," laughed Rosalie. She turned back to me, "Was it awesome? Did you cum?"

Cue the blush. "Yes," I whispered.

"And did you get a handful of dick, Missy?" she went on.

My chin sunk to my chest. "Yes."

They both whooped, Alice bounced and clapped her hands. "Was it nice? Was it big? Did you make him cum? What-"

"Ally, let her answer!" Rosalie was having a hard time talking through her laughter.

"It was... guys, it was perfect," I breathed.

Alice's eyes got impossibly bigger, "He has a perfect dick?"

I had just taken a drink and almost choked. "I meant the whole thing, Ally! Geez! He was so passionate, so tender. It's like he knew exactly what I needed. But... now that you mention it, yes. His... penis is perfect."

Rosalie was having difficulty breathing through her laughter. "We requested 'above average' sized when we ordered him, but we didn't give exact dimensions. How big is it?"

"Shut it, Rose! That's not why I called you here." I widened my eyes at them. "Guys... he said he loves me."

For once, the response was dead silence. Two sets of eyes stared back at me, and they didn't seem surprised.

Finally, Alice cleared her throat and broke the silence, "Bella, honey... we already knew he was in love with you."

"What?" There was a strange buzzing in my head. They knew? Were they behind it somehow? Was it a practical joke? I was suddenly shocked at myself, at how much the thought that it wasn't true... hurt.

Rosalie scooted her chair closer and grabbed my hand in both of hers. "Yes, Bells. We already knew. It was obvious at the get-together. I really thought I was imagining things until Ally found that web board. It was so utterly apparent that he loves you. The way he looks at you, touches you..." She shook her head. "The things he said, he's crazy for you."

Torn between relief and totally freaking out, I drew in a deep breath and blew it out again. I shoved away the relief because it just made more sense to freak. That was easier than examining my feelings.

I should have known that my Bitches wouldn't let me get away with that for very long.

And I hated being right.

"Bella, he really does love you. I read up on it after I got home, and from what the hackers say, it's genuine. The best advice I have for you is to ask him. Let him explain it to you," Alice cooed. "But what I really want to know is... Bells, how do you feel about him?"

"What? You're asking me if I'm in love with a sex robot? Really Alice? Ask me how I feel about my Auto Chef, why don't you? Ask me when I'll move on to my car!" I knew I was being deliberately obstinate, but I just wasn't ready to examine my feelings.

Rosalie barked out a laugh, "Okay, Cleopatra, Queen of Denial." She leaned forward and poked her pointy finger into my chest. Which hurt, I might add. "But we know you." She tipped her head to Alice, who nodded like a bobble-head. "We know you wouldn't have let Edward get as far as he did last night if you didn't have feelings for him."

"Who's Edward?" a very masculine voice growled behind me. My head whipped around fast enough to give me a mild case of whiplash, and there stood Jacob. Shit.

Rosalie shot to her feet. "You'd better clear out, Jake. Nobody wants you here."

Alice grabbed my wrist and tried to yank me away. "I have a taser, and I'm not afraid to use it!" she yelled.

"Guys!" I shouted. They both paused and looked at me like I had lost my mind for not immediately running for cover. Jake had never physically hurt me, or even threatened me. He had cheated on me, and that made him a bad boyfriend, but not an evil man. Just a weak one. "I got this. Can you just give us a minute? Go in and order us a platter of nachos, and let me and Jake talk for a minute, okay?"

They grumbled, but they went. Well, Alice went. Rosalie moved as far as the inside but planted herself at the nearest window. I'm quite sure that, with the slightest provocation, she'd be back outside with Jacob in a headlock. Or writhing on the ground from a nut shot. You never knew with Rose.

Jake blew out a breath and plopped himself into the chair next to me, but I scooched away. I didn't want to give him any ideas. Just because I was finally allowing him to talk to me didn't mean I was taking him back.

"Bells, who's Edward?" he repeated belligerently.

"Edward is none of your business. What are you doing here?"

He visibly deflated. "I wanted to talk to you. To explain..."

"I think I can live without an explanation, Jake. I have eyes. I saw what you were doing."

"It didn't mean anything, baby. I swear! It's just that... I wanted you so bad, and I... you meant so much to me, but..."

"Jake, I really don't want to hear it. Do you think I could ever trust you again?"

His head dropped. "We could try. I would do anything-"

"Stop. Jake, it's over. I don't..."

God, did I still love him? I suppose I would always care for him, but that feeling? I was afraid it was gone, and it made me a little sad. Jake was all I knew, before Edward...

And there it was. When I thought of Edward, I _did_ get that pang. Looking into Jacob's black eyes, I realized that they didn't effect me like those clear, green ones. Jake's long black hair no longer made me want to comb my fingers through it; I wanted shorter, messy, bronze hair. My body reacted to a long, lean body, and not Jake's thick, muscled form.

I was falling for Edward.

I couldn't deal with that now, though. I had to finish this.

I took Jake's hand and spoke gently, "Jake, I will always love you, we grew up together. We shared a lot, but... but I'm not yours anymore. You need to let me go now."

Pain rippled across his face. "Is it this Edward guy then? It didn't take you long to replace me," he snarled.

"Are you still sleeping with Leah?" I snapped, and his eyes slid away from mine. Well, that answered that question. "I'm sorry, that's not my business, either. And it doesn't matter, Jake, because even if I had never... met Edward, we'd still be through. I hope we can be friends, but if not, I understand."

"Bella, I still love you." The agony in his voice nearly broke me. But I couldn't compromise my heart. Not anymore.

"You should go, Jake. And you should try to make it work with Leah." That actually hurt to say. When I caught them in bed together, I lost not only my boyfriend but someone I had thought was a good friend too. Honestly, I never wanted to see either one of them ever again. I could never get that scene out of my head. I suppressed a shudder.

He sat for a few moments longer, staring at the cement between his feet. Then he heaved a deep sigh and raised teary eyes to mine. "If you ever need me, Bells..."

"Thanks, Jake. Take care." I turned back to the table, not wanting to see his dejected departure. When Rose and Alice slipped back into their seats, I knew he was gone, and heaved a huge sigh of relief.

Rosalie rubbed my back soothingly. "You okay, hun?"

I raised my eyes, my perfectly dry eyes to meet hers. "Yeah, I really am."

* * *

 **E/N: The only part of the story I DIDN'T have nailed down was how to deal with Jacob. I'm not a fan, I really struggled with it, so... this chapter will be the last of him.**

 **So... inspiration has struck again. How do you all feel about a disaster story? "The Big One" hits the Pacific Northwest, and Alice sees it only minutes before it happens. Canon Twilight (yes, they're vampires!) until the van scene, which the quake will replace. Rated T. Would you read it? I'll finish this first, of course!**


	9. Realization

**A/N: I'm so very, VERY sorry for the long delay. I started work as a Certified Nursing Assistant at a nursing home, and I really had to throw myself into that for awhile. But things are calmer now, and I really need to get this story out of my brain before I completely lose my mind. That, and I have 3 other story ideas yammering at me, and I have OCD, so I have to complete one before I can go on to another. I promised I wouldn't abandon this story, and I meant it!**

 **To my dear Renee Aubin; your reviews have nagged at me, until I had to come back and write, or die of guilt! LOL Thank you, I love long reviews, seeing for myself what parts or phrases resonate, and I eat that shit up, I tell ya!**

 **A short summery, to get us back on track; The year is 2115, and Bella, fresh from catching her ex cheating, moves to Seattle to be on her own for the first time. Her besties, Alice and Rosalie buy her an sex android. He looks like Nicky Brooks, Bella's bad-boy crush in high school. She's resistant, he's persistent.**

 **And he said he loves her. Twice.**

 **When last we heard from our heroine, she was at a cafe with her Bitches, and Jake had just left, emasculated and despondent, now that he knows he's lost her forever. Bye Jake!**

 **Thank you to my gorgeous and sexy BelleBiter for her continuing support and hard work to make this story scorching, and yet still read-able. Love you!**

* * *

 _He sat for a few moments longer, staring at the cement between his feet. Then he heaved a deep sigh and raised teary eyes to mine. "If you ever need me, Bells..."_

 _"Thanks, Jake. Take care." I turned back to the table, not wanting to see his dejected departure. When Rose and Alice slipped back into their seats, I knew he was gone, and heaved a huge sigh of relief._

 _Rosalie rubbed my back soothingly. "You okay, hun?"_

 _I raised my eyes, my perfectly dry eyes to meet hers. "Yeah, I really am."_

Rosalie ordered another pitcher of margaritas, and I knew my reprieve was over. I needed to be honest with my friends; and, really, with myself as well.

"So, you're ok, then? With... you know... Jake?" asked Alice, her eyes wide.

"Yeah. I am, Al. I've finally admitted to myself that I was never in love with Jake. I loved him, sure. We grew up together. And by getting into a relationship with him, I was settling for the safe option. That wasn't fair to either of us," I sighed. "Catching him cheating was just the fire under my ass that I needed to see it was time to get out."

With a squint, Rosalie topped off our glasses from the new drink pitcher. "And what, pray tell, brought you to this epiphany now?"

Yep, it was time to finally read my own heart. "I... I... care for Edward," I said very quietly. I shook my head ruefully. "I didn't feel half of this for Jake, not like what I feel for Edward. He gives me butterflies. He makes my toes curl, even before he's actually touched me! But what the hell, guys? He's not real!" I grabbed two fistfuls of my hair.

"Oh, honey..." Alice began, but was cut short by Rose.

"Calm your tits, Bells. He's very real. I've been doing some research on my own, aside from The Pixie's obsessive internet scouring, and I'm telling you, he loves you. There are people out there having real relationships with their androids, and happy as shit about it!"

Alice was nodding like a bobblehead. "Completely happy!"

Ah, my own personal cheerleaders. But they had a dog in this fight; they had bought him for me. "Guys, I appreciate the enthusiasm. I do. But come on. Be serious. He's a robot, for fuck's sake!"

"And he'll stay young and hot, no matter how wrinkly you get!" gloated Alice.

Oh God.

I hadn't even considered that angle. I had a sudden vision of me, pruned and bent, hanging onto a walker... next to Edward, still gorgeous and vibrant. "All the more reason that this can't work! When I'm old, we'll be ridiculous!" I grabbed my glass, now even more determined to drown in tequila.

Rosalie's snort drew my eyes. "You're nineteen, Bella. You have years and years before this will even begin to be an issue. And they can age Edward for you. They took the pictures of a seventeen-year-old Nick Brooks, and made him twenty-one."

We'd never be able to marry, and we had all planned our weddings when we were in grade school, tweaking and changing details over the years now – right down to the dresses, shoes and floral arrangements. And...

"And what about children, Rose?" I huffed.

"Sperm bank!" Alice offered helpfully. "You can even pick a donor with Edwards eye and hair color!" She clapped delightedly.

An answer for everything. "Thanks, Miss Glass-Half-Full," I said, dryly.

"Look," said Rosalie, "just enjoy the _now_. Revel in being adored by a delicious-looking man. One that knows what to do, if ya know what I mean." She winked.

"Easy for you to say, Rose. You have a man. A real, flesh-and-blood guy, who's crazy about you. You too, Ally. Isn't this all... a bit alien?" I moaned.

"Only if you let it be, Bella," said Alice, suddenly serious. "You know you don't want another guy right now, one that you can't trust, right? So, take a break. Have a fling with Edward. If you get tired of him or find a human you fall for, Edward's memory can be wiped, and you can sell him."

The idea of erasing Edward's mind was horrifying, to say the least. And my memory couldn't be wiped. But Alice had a point. I couldn't date anyone right now, even if I wanted to. The one thing I could get from Edward, that I couldn't get from a human guy, was complete devotion. I knew Edward would never look at another woman; he wasn't programmed that way. And devotion was what I needed right now.

Another pitcher... and an order of potato skins with extra cheese and bacon later... we began to wind down. I definitely got my fill of encouragement from Team Edward. From the long shadows creeping across the patio, I realized that it was nearly twilight, and definitely time to get home.

Home to Edward.

The thought of him waiting there for me gave me a little thrill in my stomach.

I was only slightly tipsy, as the food had absorbed much of the alcohol, but thank goodness for AutoDrive.

* * *

Letting myself into the apartment, my ears were suddenly assaulted by explosions and gunfire that was then instantly silenced. Edward stepped into the doorway from the living room with a game controller in his hand, and his smile lit the foyer. "Welcome home, Sweetheart. Did you have a good time with your friends?"

His smile was infectious.

"Yeah. It was nice. You weren't too bored?" I said, indicating the gamepad in his hand and dropping my bag on the table near the door.

Edward shrugged, as his smile went crooked and a bit rueful. "I find video games fascinating. There's enough random programming that it's actually a challenge, even for me. I understand the attraction. The shooting aspect is quite enjoyable, and a good test of reflexes."

Such a guy. Put a penis on a robot, and it starts producing testosterone.

"So, you've been playing video games... all day?"

His smile turned sheepish. "I did say they were fascinating. And there are hundreds to choose from. I find I like the military shooter types."

"Well, at least you kept yourself occupied," I grinned.

He placed the controller on the hall table, and came toward me in slow steps. "Might I have a kiss? I missed you terribly."

"I thought you occupied yourself," I stalled, nervously.

He slipped his arms around my waist, pulling me against his body. Without thought, my hands slid up his chest and clasped behind his neck. It felt... right. "Bella, I have a computer processor for a brain. The latest technology. I can multitask. I missed you every minute you were gone." He lowered his face to mine, but stopped a hairsbreadth away. It took me a second to realize he was waiting for my permission.

Admittedly, things like that - my control over our every encounter - only made it easier to let things progress.

And it made me really, really want that kiss.

Pushing up onto my toes, I closed the distance and pressed my lips to his.

With one arm wrapped around my waist, and the other hand cupping the back up my neck under my hair, he deepened the kiss... and I lost all sense of time and place. I don't remember burying my hands in his hair; but there they were, and I couldn't seem to get close enough to him. I heard a moan, and couldn't tell if it was mine or his; and, frankly, I no longer cared. I wanted this. I wanted him.

I wanted Edward, the man.

He broke our kiss, but only to slide his lips to my neck. His breathy " _Bella_ " in my ear made gooseflesh rise everywhere, and I was in serious danger of losing control. I wasn't quite ready for that.

"Edward," I gasped, arching my neck for better contact with those amazing, soft lips.

"Yes, Sweetheart?" he breathed against my skin, before pressing moist kisses into the hollow behind my ear. Damned sexy man.

"We... oh, my... that's... wait... we need... "

"Tell me, Love," he groaned, then licked at my earlobe.

"We need... to talk," I finally managed to force out, through the haze of desire he engulfed me in.

Edward raised his head to look into my hooded, lust-filled eyes. "Now?" He sounded vaguely puzzled, and just a bit disappointed.

Unknotting my fingers from his hair, I smoothed it back down as best I could. "Yes. Right now."

His sigh sounded regretful as he stepped back, but he didn't break all contact as he made sure to slide his hand down my arm, then let our fingers twine together.

"As you wish."

We got, for lack of a better term, cozy on the sofa; hip to hip, with our thighs pressed together to our knees. He kept my hand in his, and I honestly had no objection to that. It made me feel wanted.

Taking a deep breath, I asked the question that was uppermost in my mind. "Edward, why do you think you love me?"

His reply was swift and sure. "Because I love you."

"But how do you know it's love? I mean, how do you even know what love is?"

"Bella, the definition of love is, in noun form, an intense feeling of deep affection; in the verb form, it's when one feels a deep romantic or sexual attachment to someone. Both of those apply to me."

"I'm so confused," I huffed.

"It's simple. In every movie and piece of literature, the feeling of love is accompanied by a fluttering stomach, a pounding heart, and increased respiration in the presence of the subject of love. I have these symptoms. Additionally, I wish to always be near you, and feel pain in my heart at your absence. All I want to do is please you. And the sexual attachment is undeniable."

"But... "

"Yes?" he smiled softly, and tilted his head slightly to the side. So damned adorable.

"How can you know you wouldn't feel this way, no matter who your... erm... owner was?"

"Because, I thought you beautiful when I first saw you, of course; but these feelings only developed later. Though, granted, not very much later." The stinker winked at me!

"Ok, so... do all... erm... androids fall in love with their owners?"

"Oh, no. Not at all. It is specific to the operating system loaded into my particular model. However, not all of us fall in love."

"Huh? How do you know?"

He tapped his temple. "We all have access to a network, and we share information to assist in complete owner satisfaction."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. Only twenty-seven point fifty-eight percent of us have fallen in love."

"What about the other seventy-two point... whatever?"

"They perform flawlessly." Did he look proud?

My eyebrows shot up. "Falling in love is a flaw?"

"Yes. It's a glitch in our system, specific to my model. Love is pain. I feel pain when you leave me. I will feel pain if you eventually find a human, and cast me aside."

That gave me a sick pang. "What would you do? Fall in love with the next person who had you?" I wasn't liking the thought of Edward with another woman. Or man.

"No. I would never fall out of love with you. I would assure myself that your human mate was worthy of you, and then I would self-erase my memory. In some cases, androids have been known to destroy their bodies."

My mouth hung open for a full minute before I snapped it closed. "Edward. You can't say things like that to me. The thought of you harming yourself..." I shuddered.

"Life would not be worth living without you, my Bella."

"But that conflicts with the Third Law of Robotics! You aren't allowed to harm yourself!"

"There are ways around that, for the android who has lost his will to live. I know of one unit that balanced on the edge of a blast furnace and did a total system shutdown, so he fell into the molten metal at the loss of power."

I shuddered, and leaned against Edward's shoulder. "But... what's going to happen when I get old and... die?"

Sorrow filled Edward's eyes. "I will lose my will to live, my Bella. I wish I had a soul. I can't even hope to be with you after we're both gone."

"Oh... Edward..." My arms were around his neck again, and he pulled me onto his lap.

"Shh, Sweetheart. Don't worry about that right now. We have years and years left together. I love you." He pressed his lips to my forehead.

"Edward. I'm sorry, but... I don't know if I... what I mean to say is, I'm not sure if..."

He gave me his sweet, crooked smile again. "No worries. I love you. It's enough, for now."

But was it? It felt so horribly unfair. I know I felt something for him; but to call it love? It was way too soon for that.

* * *

Edward showered again before bedtime, and I had to fight to keep from peeking in at him. Not that he wouldn't welcome it, I'm sure. But I've never been bold, and I wasn't sure I could start now.

I slipped into one of my few baby doll nighties, the blue one with matching panties, and popped into bed to wait for Edward. I pulled the blanket up under my arms, suddenly shy of his reaction to my sleepwear. When he strolled into the room... hair damp, pajama pants riding low on his hips, and his delicious chest bare... I almost forgot to breathe. He walked around to his side of the bed, and as he climbed in beside me, I rolled toward him, and into his arms.

I was rewarded with his smile and a soft, warm glow in his emerald eyes.

"That attire is lovely. The color suits you, and is very attractive against your skin. Are you tired, Sweetheart, or should I infer your intentions from your choice of sleepwear?" He murmured, pressing his smirking lips to my temple.

"No. I mean, no, I'm not tired." I wasn't brave enough to tell him that he inferred correctly. That was as courageous as I could get.

"Will you kiss me?"

"Yes," I whispered.

It started out with soft, delicate brushes of his lips against mine... but quickly moved on to deep, searching kisses. When I sucked on his tongue, I felt his groan all the way down to my toes. Silently, I cataloged everything that made him react to me: the tongue-sucking; pulling his hair on the back of his neck; kissing his throat right over his Adam's Apple with an open mouth; wrapping my thigh around his hip...

"Bella," he moaned.

His hand on my waist moved up to my breast, and he paused. "God, yes," I panted. He brushed his thumb softly across my nipple, and it tightened in approval. I've touched them myself so many times, and it never felt like this. Wonderful torture.

"Let me please you, Sweetheart. Let me show you how much I love you," he whispered in my ear.

Woah! I wasn't ready for... was he suggesting... ? "Edward, I'm not ready for that."

"No, Love. I know you're not ready for penetration. But there are other ways to make you feel good. Please, trust me?"

I nodded slowly, not completely convinced. And how the hell did he make the word 'penetration' sound so hot?

He rolled me onto my back, still kissing me, still caressing me; but then he slipped the shoulder straps of my nightie down, and slowly exposed my breasts to his eager mouth. I didn't even have time to get self-conscious before I found myself arching my back to get closer to those teasing lips and tongue.

With butterfly-soft touches, he stroked down the fabric of my nightie, just enough so that I could feel the warmth of his fingers. He caressed my thighs and urged them to part, and I eagerly complied. When he lightly traced the seam of my sex through my panties, I couldn't hold back a gasp, and a subsequent moan.

"So responsive, my Bella. So beautiful. So sexy."

It appeared that the 'asking permission' phase was over, as he didn't hesitate to draw my panties down smoothly, before urging my legs further apart and settling his body on the bed between them. My shyness came creeping back; but before I could do any more than blush, his mouth settled on my vulva.

My back hit the headboard so fast that I'm sure I heard it bang against the wall, as I dug my heels into the mattress and shot away from his mouth. "What are you doing?" I squeaked.

Still crouched low on the bed, his face was a mask of confusion. And he looked stinking adorable. "What's wrong?"

"I've never done... that before," I whispered.

The smile came back. "Another first. Lucky me! Come back, Love. Let me make you feel good." He slowly reached forward and gently wrapped his fingers around my ankles, pulling me back down. "I want to make you explode, and know I did that for you with my mouth. Let me taste you."

Like a snake, I was charmed by his honeyed tongue. Mesmerized by the heat in his gaze. His words made me clench, and damn it if I wasn't almost throbbing again! I was still tense as he lowered his mouth to me, but suddenly, the tension was of a different nature; Holy crow! He started with slow licks and kisses, and some sounds came out of my mouth that I'd never heard before.

Edward hummed in approval.

I felt his fingers delicately probing at my entrance, and then slip inside of me, as his mouth and tongue got a bit more aggressive. I was suddenly at a whole new level of tension, and the heat in my lower belly threatened to consume me. He twisted his hand to a new angle, started sucking and flicking his tongue on my clit, and I was done for. I grabbed fistfuls of his still-damp hair and held him to me as I rocked against his mouth, completely incoherent and not a bit ashamed of the screaming.

At least not at that particular moment.

Letting go of his hair, my hands dropped, nerveless, to the bed; and my thighs eventually released his poor head, only to land splayed next to his shoulder. The bones in my body had disappeared, and I had never felt so relaxed.

The bed dipped as Edward crawled up to lie next to me and gather me into his arms. My hands plastered themselves to his muscled torso, as I curved myself into his body. That's when I felt him poking me in the belly.

"Edward... um... can I... take care of you?" I asked, blushing now that the shyness had returned, along with my ability to think.

His soft chuckle echoed through his chest, and into my cheek. "No, Sweetheart. Tonight was about you. I'll be fine."

"But won't you get... erm... "

"Vasocongestion isn't a danger to me. Getting 'blue balls' isn't something they built into my body. Give me a minute."

Not sure what I was waiting for, I felt the 'poke' lessen. "Oh."

"There. All gone. Get some sleep, Love."

Well, that was convenient!

And as relaxed as I was, it was not a problem to slip into slumber, safely in the embrace of my Edward.

* * *

 **E/N: I couldn't end the chapter without giving you a little shot of limeade. Refreshing! ;-)**

 **Don't get complacent. Rosalie's solution is NOT the HEA I have planned, so simmer down! These kids deserve a REAL happy ending, and by gum, they're gonna get it!**

 **Please review, and let me know you're still reading. (Even though I've been so horrible with the hiatus!)**


	10. Cohabitation

**A/N: First, let me address some items that came in via guest review.**

 **Edward did NOT have sex before he was purchased by Rose and Alice. He had a test orgasm in the lab, for quality control and sensory purposes. They had to make sure he worked right! But it was performed by a lab tech, using an imitation vagina. A pocket pussy. A fleshlight. Yeah, Google that, if you dare! It was more like masturbation, so Edroid is, indeed, still a virgin. Sorry I didn't make it clearer! I may go back and edit that later.**

 **Re: Bella referring to Edward as a toaster; I was trying to show Bella's evolution from seeing him as a machine, to seeing him as a man. She wasn't consciously trying to degrade him, she just needed to warm up to him. And she is all warmed up, now! ;–)**

 **In response to this comment:**

" **One second they say his love is genuine and the next they suggest to use him until she's tired of him and then to erase his memory and sell him like he's even less than a slave. This is an ethical conflict – either they see him as a person or not. Edward isn't just a machine, he has likes and dislikes, he's able to love and he can feel pain, he's aware of himself... he was maybe artificially created but he's still an intelligent life form not an object."**

 **My thinking is, they (The Bitches) think that if they convince Bella to give Edward a chance, she'll never let him go. So, they are using every weapon in their arsenal to get her to relax and have a go with him. They KNOW their friend, they know her tender heart. Neither one of them thinks for a second that once B lets him in, she'll ever let him go. And if she tried, they'd both bring out the big guns. Again. LOL**

 **But I love, love, LOVE that Edward is engendering sympathy! You guys love him like I do, and that is every writer's dream; making you really care about the characters! *humbled***

 **Again, thanks to my dearest Bellebiter for being the best Beta a writer could ask for! Love you muchos!**

* * *

Edward and I entered an idyllic portion of our relationship; that is to say, it was almost like a honeymoon. I still couldn't bring myself to do... _it,_ but my lover (yes, at least I could finally say _that_ ) had so many inventive ways to bring us both pleasure. Even out of the bedroom, he was so caring and attentive, I felt truly cherished. I was still working up the nerve to put my mouth on his _... thing._

Dick.

Cock.

Yeah.

I was intensely curious; again, though, Bella does not equal bold. But it was just so... _appealing_. Well, I mean the _idea_ was appealing. Okay, yes, so was his cock. It was downright _pretty_. And the skin on his neck was delicious. Maybe he tasted good _down there_ as well...

Aside from my newfound, ravenous sexuality, doing housework was a thing of the past, as Edward insisted that he got joy out of taking care of me out of bed as well. The clothes and dishes were washed before I even noticed, and the house was spotless at all times. Besides making me feel pampered and freed from domestic drudgery, it also left me plenty of time to work on my book. At this rate, I'd have a final draft to send off to my publisher before school started in the fall.

The only fly in the ointment was... me. Although I didn't think of Edward as an appliance any longer, I couldn't seem to get past the fact that he wasn't human. And the age factor, although it wasn't really an issue right now, loomed large in my mind; I found it impossible to erase the image of us looking ridiculous, as I – alone – got noticeably older.

Honestly, I could admit to myself that I cared for him. A _lot_. I felt the symptoms that he had described to me – heart thumping, butterflies in the stomach, missing him when we were apart. Granted, we weren't apart much; but when we were, I couldn't wait to see his beautiful jade eyes, glowing with ardor. Yet I still couldn't bring myself to call it love.

Intense _like_. Really intense. Way beyond what I had ever felt for Jake, and I _had_ claimed to love _him_. I'd often get all tangled up in my head, and then decide to think about it later.

La de da, Scarlett. Tomorrow is another day.

* * *

One evening, my expansive shower came in handy as we started getting ready to go out. Emmett wanted all six of us to go to dinner; and, in an effort to protect the environment, Edward and I washed up together.

Yeah, that's it. Saving water.

My breasts had never been cleaner; but then again, Edward's dick was so clean it should have squeaked. Well, not so much... but he did make some interesting sounds as I pumped my soapy fists up and down his thick shaft. And then, naturally, Edward had to cleanse my belly and pubic area of his cum – so I had to cling to his shoulders as he bathed me really, really well. By the end of the shower, I was so immaculately clean that my legs were like jelly.

So much for water conservation.

Rushing through dressing, Edward helped me blow out my hair as I dashed on some mascara, and we were off. Me, in a light-green, sleeveless dress and matching ballet flats; he, in his navy slacks and blue shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, just as I like it. I really had to get with Alice about some shopping for Edward.

And we were only marginally late.

Recently, Edward had started driving, and he enjoyed it immensely. He never used the AutoDrive, observing that he was quite 'Auto' enough. I loved his sense of humor. He insisted on holding my hand during the entire trip, and I can't say I minded in the least.

I had to give credit to the programmers; he was the perfect gentleman, opening doors and guiding me with a light hand on the small of my back. I felt protected and cherished.

We arrived at the seafood restaurant that Rosalie said one of her clients had raved about – a gorgeous place with an eclectic mix of modern decor and native stone accents, featuring an enormous fireplace in the center of the dining room. It had three faces, so the warmth was felt everywhere in the restaurant. Alice took control of the seating at the round table – boy, girl, boy, girl – with Jasper to my right, then Alice, Emmett, Rosalie, and back to Edward on my left. I was glad to have Rose next to Edward, in case of... who knows what. You never knew what was possible with this bunch. I was always nervous when the guys were in a social setting with Edward, even though neither had offered any sign of suspicion that Edward was more or less than what he seemed.

The menu was intriguing. Fish dishes from every conceivable nation, and daily fresh catches from, I'm sure, the nearby market at Pike. I couldn't decide between the crab-stuffed flounder or the wood-smoked, honey-glazed salmon. Edward solved it by suggesting we each order one, and I could taste both. It's not like he had a preference, after all.

Drinks were ordered, and The Bitches and I went with girly drinks: a frozen strawberry daiquiri for me; raspberry, for Alice; and Rosalie, to be different, chose an apple martini. Heinekens for the boys, of course. Edward ordered his without blinking an eye. He was just such a guy, sometimes, and I was very proud of him at that moment.

"So, Ed," drawled Jasper. "You've never said what you do."

Tensing, my eyes shot to Rosalie's. We'd never come up with a backstory! I was fighting the beginnings of a freak-out when Edward calmly replied, "Oh, didn't I? Well, I'm in computing. Programming, to be specific."

Grabbing my drink, I buried my nose in the glass. Okay, that would work, except...

"Huh. Me too," said Jasper. Oh shit. "Have you done anything that I would have heard of?"

"No, I work in corporate, not commercial. It's all internal. How about you?" Damn, my guy was quick! Jasper was off and running about some stuff he was developing for Apple, and then his hopes of starting his own software company. Edward had managed to get the focus off of himself with just a few words.

Emmett, as easily bored by the computer talk as he always was, cut through the chatter. "Hey, Eddie. Do you eat oysters?"

"Yes, Emmett. Why do you ask?" Edward raised one eyebrow, obviously not missing the mischievous tone of Emmett's question.

"I challenge you to an oyster eating contest!" he grinned, as if he'd just discovered electricity. Alice, Rose and I all groaned.

"Not again!" huffed Rosalie.

"Wasn't beating me enough, you glutton?" laughed Jasper.

Emmett pouted. "Aww, Rosie. Let me have some fun. He is the new guy. It's a rite of passage! Besides, I'll bet our little Bella is a tiger in bed. He needs all the stamina he can–"

Rosalie clapped her hand over Emmett's mouth – as Jasper's face darkened, and mine turned an unattractive shade of crimson.

"Emmett Dale McCarty! One more word, and you'll not see the tiger in _my_ bed for a very long time!"

He grabbed her wrist and placed a kiss on her palm, before pulling it away from his face to reveal his grin. "You couldn't stay away from me that long, woman!"

"Try me," she said grimly, as our salads arrived, and Emmett's expression sobered appropriately; then, thankfully, he let it drop. Guess he wasn't as dumb as he looked; and I was just grateful the contest was averted. But Emmett was so damned competitive that I knew it would come out in some other way, eventually.

After that, the talk settled into more normal avenues – and Edward kept up with it all, admirably. I guess it helps when you have access to the biggest digital library in the world from the comfort of your own head. Rosalie even loosened up on Emmett watchdog duty, sharing a hilarious story about a client and her future ex-husband, arguing in her office for three solid hours over who would get the children next Christmas – only to find out that both parents are Jewish. Names were redacted, of course; Rosalie Lillian Hale was nothing if not the consummate legal eagle. Once she had her lawyer hat on – even after an apple martini or three – she never put a foot wrong, and her clients always benefited. It was, by now, a habit that also covered her gorgeous ass.

Whenever possible, Edward kept his right hand on my leg – toying with the hem of my dress, and giving my thigh the occasional squeeze. It was cool that Edward was ambidextrous, and could easily use either hand to eat... while the other kept contact with me, no matter which side of him I sat on. I had to admit that it was nice, having someone special; someone who paid particular attention to me. I finally felt like I belonged. Jake had never been invited to these group things, as the girls never really liked him, and the guys thought him too young to be worth it. They would have tolerated him for me, but I was always too uncomfortable to bring him.

Both of the guys seemed to like Edward, especially Emmett. Jasper was the smallest bit more reserved, but I knew he thought Edward was okay, and would warm up to him eventually. He just had trouble thinking of me as a woman, and not the girl he watched out for. Darn Charlie!

No dinner is complete in Seattle without coffee; and so it was my _duty_ to have a wonderful mocha latte with a slice of cheesecake, drizzled in raspberry sauce, with a comma-shaped smear of chocolate fudge on the plate. Decadent! I moaned at the first forkful.

Edward leaned over, brushing his lips against my ear, and whispered, "You have no idea what that sound does to me, do you?"

The combination of his breath in my ear... his proximity... the warm hand on my bare thigh, and the velvety flavor of the cheesecake... all had my eyelids fluttering closed. With a soft chuckle, he kissed my earlobe and withdrew, and my eyes popped open to everyone staring at us. Most of the stares were accompanied by a grin. One, notably, was not.

Jasper.

A confrontation was coming, and I don't think it was going to go the way he thought it would. He was pissing me off, and I'd just about had enough. I didn't want to spoil the evening, so I resolved to call him tomorrow and hit him first, head on. I wasn't that little girl any more, and he would damn well have to face it.

The checks came, and I discretely slipped my credit card into Edward's hand. It would have looked bad, especially to Judge Jasper the Grim, if I paid for our dinner. I resolved to get a card with Edward's name on it, for future outings. And a wallet. Good gravy, what else does a normal man carry? I reminded myself again to get Alice's opinion; if anyone knew shopping and fashion, it was Alice. Edward really needed a bigger wardrobe. And a belt, more shoes, possibly a suit... Mmm, Edward in a suit...

An unusually gentle, balmy breeze was blowing when we stepped out of the restaurant; we unanimously agreed it was too nice out to head home right away, so we set out for a stroll through the city. We were all holding hands with our significant others, loosely bunched; but as a shop would catch someone's eye, the spaces between the three couples grew. Eventually, Edward and I were far out front of the others, more interested in each other than in what was in the storefront windows.

With our fingers woven together, Edward gently swung our hands between us, making me feel so lighthearted and giddy.

Yes, I could admit to myself that he made me happy. When things were quiet – when I was writing, or just messing around on the internet, and Edward was tidying or playing a video game – I'd just feel the need to look at him. He always knew, and his luminous eyes would meet mine. I felt a rush of pure happiness every time.

So, what was I waiting for? Was I in love? How did you know? Was it the rapid thump of my heart when he was near? Was it the squeezing feeling in my chest when he took me into his arms, lowering his mouth to mine? Was it the flipping of my stomach when–

A sharp, anguished and frightened feminine cry from the alley we were passing suddenly jerked me out of my self-absorption. Edward immediately pulled me behind him and turned to face the dark, narrow passageway between the buildings.

"Bella, run back to the others," he said steadily, not turning his head, but focusing intently into the darkness. What could he see that I couldn't?

"No! Edward, please... " I gasped.

"You'll be fine. Please, Love. Please go back to them. I'll be with you as soon as I can."

" _I'll_ be fine? What about you?" By this time, I had started to shake.

"Bella! Go!" He gave me a little shove back toward Rose and Emmett, who were still strolling a full block behind us. I turned to obey, and Edward was gone. My terror froze me in place.

From the darkness, I heard a shout, a scream, a scuffle, and then – to my utter horror – a gunshot. Somehow, I spun to face the shadowy, trash-strewn pathway.

Running footsteps sounded from the alley, as well as from the sidewalk behind me. In a second, I saw a figure emerge from the shadows – running full-tilt, as terrified as _I_ was. A woman in bizarre costume flew past me, blood trickling from her split lip, and I was amazed at how fast she was going on tall platform shoes. In a mini-skirt and a tight tank top, with frizzy, bleach-blond hair, it finally clicked that she might be a hooker. Everything felt surreal as I spun back to face the other footsteps pounding toward me. It was Emmett, with Rosalie a few steps behind. I grabbed for Emmett.

"A gunshot!" I gasped. "Edward... Oh God!"

Emmett tore himself away from my desperate hands and ran down the alley. Rosalie pulled me to the side, away from the mouth of the passageway, whipping out her phone to dial 911. "Careful, Emmett!" she shouted after her retreating boyfriend. She rattled off our location to the dispatcher, and hung up on his demand that she stay on the line. Rose didn't take needless instructions from anyone.

More scuffling... and the cry of a voice that I didn't recognize came from the gloom... and seconds passed like hours. At some point, I realized that I had tears pouring down my face... but I don't remember when they started. My mind felt frozen, and I couldn't _think._ I was terrified for both men, Emmett and Edward... Edward... _Edward_!

A strange shape soon emerged from the blackness, finally resolving into Emmett – his left arm around Edward's waist, his right dragging a figure along the ground by his collar, clearly unconscious. He had Edward's right arm draped around his neck.

"Rose! A little help, Baby!"

Rosalie rushed forward – just as Edward began to collapse. Emmett immediately dropped the unconscious man to keep Edward from falling to the pavement. That's when I could finally see that the left side of Edward's light-blue shirt was drenched with a red substance. Jasper and Alice pounded up to us, both out of breath and looking around with startled eyes.

My scream echoed off of the buildings around us as Jasper rushed forward to help with Edward.

Edward raised his head, then looked into my wide, horrified eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart. It appears I have been shot."

* * *

 **E/N: Well, I had to do at least ONE cliffie. I've been easy on you all so far. ;–) A bit shorter than usual, but hey, you didn't have to wait six months for it! Yay!**


	11. Reaction

**A/N: Well, I suck. I let too much time go by, leaving you all hanging. I swear, this whole story is written in my head, and it will continue to nag at me until I finish it. And I WILL finish it, because I'm dying... DYING to write the epilogue! So last we left our group, Edward had been shot. Onward!**

 **As always, thank you to Bellebiter, my intrepid Beta, who makes this story worth reading! Love you, Snoogums! You're the white chocolate mocha International Delight creamer in my huge cup of coffee! Without you, my story would be a mess of repeated words, with every paragraph beginning with "I". And don't get me started with Grammarly and the Oxford comma! *GRRR***

* * *

 _A strange shape soon emerged from the blackness, finally resolving into Emmett – his left arm around Edward's waist, his right dragging a figure along the ground by his collar, clearly unconscious. He had Edward's right arm draped around his neck._

 _"Rose! A little help, Baby!"_

 _Rosalie rushed forward – just as Edward began to collapse. Emmett immediately dropped the unconscious man to keep Edward from falling to the pavement. That's when I could finally see that the left side of Edward's light-blue shirt was drenched with a red substance. Jasper and Alice pounded up to us, both out of breath and looking around with startled eyes._

 _My scream echoed off of the buildings around us as Jasper rushed forward to help with Edward._

 _Edward raised his head, then looked into my wide, horrified eyes._

 _"I'm sorry, Sweetheart. It appears I have been shot."_

My legs could barely support me as I stumbled forward, terrified of how badly hurt Edward was.

Jasper had finally reached them at that moment, wrenching Edward's shirt open to see the hole in his left pectoral muscle, just above and to the left of his nipple. I knew that he didn't have a heart behind that hole; but the primal part of my brain told me that Edward, _my_ Edward, had been fatally wounded.

"Jesus," Jasper gasped out, and then looked closer. "This... this isn't blood! What the fuck is going on here?" He spun his head and glared at me. "He's a robot?" he shouted.

"An a-a-android," I panted, shoving Jasper aside. I hardly registered his annoyed snort as I cradled Edward's jaw in my hands, raising his face to see his almost-too-green, expressive eyes. "Edward?" I whimpered.

Edward gave me a small, crooked grin. "It's not as bad as it looks, Sweetheart. The bullet hit the servo for my left arm and severed a hydraulic line, so I've lost pressure in my legs. This is merely hydraulic fluid," he said, reaching with his right hand to touch the clear, dark-pink stain spreading across his shirt. "I'm so sorry for frightening you, Love."

I gaped at his apology. "Can... can you be fixed?"

"Yes. You'll need to take me to the RealMan corporate building; they have an emergency department, rather like a small hospital. Get me there, and they'll repair me. My hard drive and power supply are intact, no worries."

Still reeling from the whole incident... not to mention his cavalier attitude about his injuries... I looked around, stunned, to my friends.

Rosalie had her stiletto firmly on the back of the still-unconscious assailant's neck. Emmett hovered at her side; although he was also staring unabashedly at Edward and me, a perplexed frown on his sweet face. Alice was jittering around the periphery, casting worried eyes between me and Jasper, in turn.

And Jasper... well, Jasper was flat-out scowling at me. I knew I'd have my hands full dealing with him, eventually, but I didn't have time now to care about his fragile masculine feelings. My focus was Edward.

Just then, the police pulled up: two cars, with four officers scrambling out, weapons drawn. "Nobody move!" the first officer barked.

We all froze as Rosalie immediately began explaining the situation, kicking the gun that I hadn't even noticed toward the men. She appeared to take great satisfaction in crushing her foot down just a bit harder before stepping back from the scumbag on the pavement. At that moment, I was fiercely glad, wishing that I had the opportunity to stomp his ass a few times myself.

An ambulance pulled up, but was quickly waved away when the cops were told that the shooting victim was an android. We were all soon informed that the gunman could only be charged with criminal intent – because Edward wasn't human, and Emmett hadn't actually been shot.

It was then that I finally heard the _whole_ story about what went down in that dark alley.

According to Emmett, he had almost reached Edward and the struggling thug when the criminal managed to wrench his own gun hand free. He was raising it to shoot Edward in the face when Emmett clubbed him on the back of his head, effectively turning out his lights. Edward had started to slump against the wall, but Emmett caught him – scooping up the gun, then grabbing the thug by the back of his collar before heading for the mouth of the alley.

After the unconscious man was cuffed and loaded into the back of one of the cruisers, I used my key fob to call my truck to our location. The police officers helped Emmett put Edward into the passenger seat, strapping his slumping body in securely. Once he was settled, Emmett stopped me from getting in with a big hand on my shoulder.

"Bells, I... shit. I'm not sure how I feel about... " He jerked his head toward the cab of my truck. "He... he makes you happy, huh?" he huffed nervously.

"Yeah, Em. He does. He _loves_ me. I don't have time to explain it to you right now, but... I know he does. And so does Rose. Ask her; she knows all about it." I turned to leave, but he stopped me again.

"Jasper isn't taking it well. Hell, he was cranky over the whole thing anyway. He's going to give you a ration of shit, you know?" He quickly gave me a sheepish grin. "But I just want you to be happy, Bella. The rest will work itself out, okay?"

I threw my arms around his beefy neck and squeezed. "You're the best big brother, ever," I whispered, and lost my breath as he hugged me back.

Jasper suddenly appeared at my side. "Isabella, would you care to tell me what in the actual fuck you're thinking? An android?"

"Not now, Jasper," I growled.

With a final bark, he snapped, furiously whisper-yelling, "Do you know what Charlie would say about all... about _any_ of this?"

"Jasper Whitlock, I said _not fucking now_!" I snarled. "I can't deal with your over-protective bullshit at this fucking moment. We'll talk tomorrow. That has to be good enough. I have to go. Now."

After staring me down for another livid moment, he dropped his shoulders, nodded curtly and stepped back.

* * *

As I slid into the driver's seat, I looked over to check on Edward. Even though he was slumped against the seat belt, he still managed to give me a reassuring smile. At least that's what he intended; I was not reassured in the smallest amount.

"Navigation," I said to the onboard computer. It promptly responded, "Navigation. What is your desired destination?"

"RealMan Corporation, emergency entrance. AutoDrive engage." The truck moved away from the curb, and I reached for Edward's still-functional right hand.

He smiled at me with a pained look on his beautiful face. "I'm currently 87% non-functional, Sweetheart. I wish I could hold you right now. I hate that I've frightened you this way."

My voice cracked slightly when I asked, "Do you hurt anywhere?" My own stomach was in knots, thinking that my Edward was in pain.

Squeezing my hand, he shook his head slightly. "No, Love. I shut down most of my sensors as soon as the bullet hit me. So, no pain; but it's frustrating not being able to move. Well, except for this," he said, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles.

* * *

We rode in silence, but my mind and heart were a jangling, tangled mess. I hadn't realized how much Edward had... _gotten_ to me. I'd grown accustomed to his presence in my life; no, it was more than that. He had crawled under my skin and made himself an integral part of my _being_ in this world, in just a few short weeks. I couldn't imagine living without him in my house, in my every day, in my every night.

So: I had real feelings for him. But to what extent?

The truck pulled to a smooth stop at the emergency entrance of RealMan. My stomach was still knotted, my heart was in my throat and my bottom lip was chewed nearly raw as I unbuckled Edward's seat belt.

What if they couldn't fix him? What would I do if I didn't have Edward? I hastily stowed that thought as I bolted from the vehicle to rush through the doors into a white, brightly lit lobby.

It looked extremely un-hospital-like: with a heavily made-up woman sitting behind a huge desk facing the doors, and professional studio photographs of nearly naked, faceless android bodies, both male and female, lining the walls.

There were also two mannequins artfully posed on either side of the lobby; one male, one female. Both were wearing very skimpy underwear. I suppose it was meant to be advertising... of a sort. Look! Touch! How life-like! It felt completely surreal.

Reception Desk Barbie gave me a totally plastic, phony smile and asked, "How may I help you this evening?"

"My... my... "

I took a deep breath. I'd almost said boyfriend.

"My Edward has been shot. He c-c-can't move. Please... " Suddenly, I was fighting my stinging eyes.

"Of course. Your RealMan is in your car out front?"

Why wasn't she more concerned? And why the hell didn't she move her ass?

"Yes! _Please_!"

She gave me the fake smile again, calmly pushing a button on the phone bank in front of her. "Two orderlies with a gurney to the front, please." She released the button. "It'll be just a moment."

That moment stretched into two... and then four... before the door to the left of the desk opened, and two young guys in green coveralls strolled out, one pushing a gurney. It was very like one from a hospital, except that it had no mattress or bedding; just cold, shiny stainless steel. I suppressed a shudder, and hurried to lead them out to my truck.

I watched helplessly as they none-too-gently heaved Edward out of my vehicle and onto the gurney. My whimper must have been louder than I thought, as three sets of eyes turned my way. Edward tried to look comforting, while the orderlies at least had the last-minute courtesy to look a bit sheepish. One even went so far as to say, "Sorry."

They wheeled the gurney toward the door as I pressed the button on my key fob and said, "Auto park." The truck purred off into the parking lot.

Just as they reached the door leading into the bowels of the building, panic struck me. I absolutely could _not_ allow Edward to be out of my sight. "I'm going with him!" I staunchly declared.

I got a startled look from the men, and Barbie spoke up. "That's not protocol."

Spinning my head so hard my hair flew, I gave her my fiercest look. "I don't give a _fuck_ about your protocol. I _said_ I'm going _with_ him."

She gave me a duck face, but didn't open her mouth again as I followed the attendants through the swinging doors. I ran a few steps to catch up with the rolling table and grabbed Edward's right hand – giving it a squeeze, letting him know that I was with him.

I got a grateful look from him in response. "Thank you, Love."

The sudden lump in my throat made it impossible to respond. I merely attempted to smile and squeezed his hand again.

* * *

The room we entered was huge, with a lot of people bustling around. There were many 'stations' set up around the periphery, with identical gurneys... and, holy crow!... androids on almost all of them!

I had to turn my head away from them all when I spied a worker with a dismembered arm in his hands.

The orderlies slid Edward's gurney into some sort of locking system on the floor, before casually walking away... no doubt to the break room, or the smoking area... without a backward glance. Assholes.

A middle-aged man with a receding hairline, dressed in a white smock, immediately appeared in their place. "Hello, Miss... ?"

"Swan. Bella, please."

He shook my hand, then looked down at Edward. "What do we have here?"

Before I could respond, Edward spoke in a chilling monotone.

"Single gunshot wound, small caliber. The bullet entered my left pectoral, destroyed the servo to my left arm, and severed the main hydraulic line to my legs. It did not exit."

He truly sounded like the computer he was at that moment; and again, that feeling of unreality came over me. I must have made some sound, because Edward turned his face back to mine, smiling that sweet, crooked smile that I adored. "I'll be fine, Sweetheart."

The technician quirked an eyebrow at me, then pulled a small tablet from his pocket and began ticking off items on the screen. "Internal cleanup; replace left servo and hydraulic line; refill of fluid, and bleed the system," he muttered, as he poked at the computer.

"We'll need to open him up. It won't be pleasant. If you want to stay, we'll set up a screen for you."

At my curt nod, he turned and motioned to a flunkie – so identified by the blue smock he was wearing – and asked for a screen. The assistant brought a four-foot-wide, frame-like thing on wheels, with cloth stretched from the top to the bottom edges, which he rolled into place at the head of the gurney. It had a rounded notch at the bottom of the frame, and he slid it into place over Edward's neck; he then pushed a button on the side that lowered it a few inches, effectively cutting off the view of his body. The young man placed a stool next to Edward's head; and, with a kind smile, indicated that I should have a seat.

Once seated, I couldn't see the work being done; and, to be honest, I was grateful for that. The fluid was clear and dark pinkish, but enough like blood to make me queasy. I reached out to stroke Edward's hair off of his forehead, whispering, "I'm right here, baby." He turned to keep his eyes on me as the technician went to work.

Throughout the procedure – indicated by whirring, buzzing and some snipping noises that made me cringe internally – Edward kept his gaze steadily on my face... so I did my best to keep a calm expression. For him.

It took about half an hour before the assistant was back, raising and removing the screen. He quickly wheeled away a cart with various tools, and a basin of pinkish water, filled with rags.

I swallowed thickly as the technician curtly addressed Edward, "Sit up, back to me."

A please wouldn't be remiss, I scolded silently; but obviously, the guy didn't think much of androids. My blood heated at the indignity.

Edward immediately complied, and I cringed internally at how obedient he was to someone... well, someone other than _me_!

The skin on his chest looked unblemished; practically pristine. They'd made Edward look like it never happened. It was amazing.

The assistant rolled a computer unit to the work space, and the balding technician fiddled with the back of Edward's neck. I remembered the manual, and assumed that he was opening Edward's access port. I knew I was right when he plugged a USB cable into the back of Edward's head.

I realized at that moment how easy it was to forget that Edward wasn't human... because I had almost done just that.

"I'm running a full diagnostic scan. It won't take but a few minutes." He smiled at me and turned to the computer, pressing a few buttons; he then crossed his arms, and leaned a hip against the table to wait for the program to complete.

Eyeing me speculatively, he then asked what he'd been wanting to ask all along.

"Has your unit displayed any... unusual behavior?"

Suddenly extremely nervous, I hesitated. Why did I have the feeling that I had done something wrong? "W-what do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing terrible. But has the unit displayed any strange... that is to say, anything that might resemble... feelings?"

I stared. Shit. He knew about Edward's glitch.

"Miss Swan. _Bella._ Has it said that it loves you?"

Anger boiled up in my stomach. It? Edward was not an _it!_

"Yes, _he_ is in love with me," I said belligerently.

The tech smiled... _almost_ trying not to sneer.

"We've had this behavior in a few units. We have a patch we can apply to stop that. I can run the program right now for you."

His hand reached toward the computer, and I was completely horrified.

"No!" I nearly shouted. Stop this 'behavior'? Turn Edward back into an appliance? The very idea filled me with such terror that I almost stopped breathing.

"No?" the tech smirked. "I assure you, it won't change anything about him. It will just stop all of this 'love' nonsense."

"Please don't," I said quietly. "Leave him the way he is. Please."

"Very well. It's not like it matters. Next week, we'll be sending out a patch wirelessly; so now, or next Friday... it will be corrected either way." The computer gave a quiet beep, and he turned away from me, completely unfazed by the look of panic I was sure I was wearing.

He touched something on the screen; and without looking at me again, said, "He's all clear, good as new. You can take your unit home now. Let us know if there are any residual issues."

And with one efficient movement, he pulled the USB cable out, closed Edward's access port, and simply walked away... leaving me gaping after him.

At that very moment, I knew with complete certainty.

I was in love with Edward.

And at some random, uncontrollable hour next Friday, he would no longer be in love with _me_.

* * *

 **E/N: Oh, I am a cliffie bitch. But she finally admitted it, to herself, at least.**

 **So, even though I haven't posted a chapter in a while, I've been getting a lot of new readers. Where are you coming from? Please tell me, so I can rush over to see what is being said, because I'm an attention hoor. ;-)**

 **Also, even though I am complete fail at replying, please know that I read every review, obsessively and repeatedly, and that each one is like a gift on Christmas morning. That notification gives me a thrill!**


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